The  ^Bomof Jitter 


l^Cary  Owens  ( 


\ 


'Ajum 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

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http://www.archive.org/details/bookofletterswhaOOcrowiala 


THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 


The  Book  of 

LETTERS 

What  Letters  to  Write  for  Every 
Purpose,  Business  and  Social. 
The  Etiquette  of  Correspondence 

BY 
MARY  OWENS  CROWTHER 


^Rl£3 


Garden  City  New  York 

GARDEN  CITY  PUBLISHING  CO.,  INC. 


COPYRIGHT,  1922,  BT 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  &  COMPANY 

AIL  RIGHTS   RESERVED 

PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AT 

THE  COUNTRY  LIFE  PRESS,  GARDEN  CITT,  H.  T. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

The  forms  for  engraved  invitations,  announce- 
ments, and  the  like,  and  the  styles  of  notepapers, 
addresses,  monograms,  and  crests  are  by  courtesy 
of  the  Bailey,  Banks  and  Biddle  Company,  Bren- 
tano's,  and  The  Gorham  Company.  The  Western 
Union  Telegraph  Company  has  been  very  helpful  in 
the  chapter  on  telegrams. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  I 


WHAT  IS  A  LETTER? 


CHAPTER  n 

THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  LETTER   .  .  6 

CHAPTER  m 
THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER 

1.  The  Heading 10 

2.  The  Inside  Address 12 

3.  The  Salutation 16 

4.  The  Body  of  the  Letter 22 

5.  The  Complimentary  Close   ....  26 

6.  The  Signature 29 

7.  The  Superscription 33 

CHAPTER  IV 
BEING    APPROPRIATE— WHAT    TO    AVOID 

Common  Offenses 36 

Stock  Phrases  in  Business  Letters    .     .  38 

vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

PACK 

CHAPTER  V 

PERSONAL  LETTERS— SOCIAL  AND 

FRIENDLY 

Invitations  and  Acknowledgments    .     .  44 

The  Letter  of  Condolence 91 

Letters  of  Sympathy  in  Case  of  Illness  95 

Letters  of  Congratulation      .     .     .     .  101 

Letters  of  Introduction 107 

Letters  of  Thanks 110 

Letters  between  Friends 118 

CHAPTER  VI 

PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS    ...  124 

CHAPTER  VII 

THE  BUSINESS  LETTER 135 

Sales  and  Announcement  Letters      .     .  146 

Keeping  the  Customer 160 

Selling  Real  Estate 163 

Bank  Letters        . 173 

Letters  of  Order  and  Acknowledgment  182 

Letters  of  Complaint  and  Adjustment   .  186 

Credit  and  Collection  Letters    .     .     .  193 

Letters  of  Application 211 

Letters  of  Reference 217 

Letters  of  Introduction 220 

Letters  of  Inquiry 223 


CONTENTS  ix 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  VIII 
THE  USE  OF  FORM  PARAGRAPHS  .     .227 

CHAPTER  DC 
CHILDREN'S  LETTERS 230 

CHAPTER  X 
TELEGRAMS 236 

CHAPTER  XI 
THE  LAW  OF  LETTERS 247 

CHAPTER  Xn 
THE  COST  OF  A  LETTER 252 

CHAPTER  Xm 

STATIONERY,     CRESTS    AND    MONO- 
GRAMS     258 


LIST  OF  TEXT  ILLUSTRATIONS 


In  the  business  letterhead  apj>ear  the  name  of  the 
firm,  its  address,  and  the  kind  of  business  engaged 
in 11 

Letterheads  used  by  a  life  insurance  company,  a  law 
firm,  and  three  associations 13 

In  the  case  of  widely  known  firms,  or  where  the  name 
of  the  firm  itself  indicates  it,  reference  to  the  na- 
ture of  the  business  is  often  omitted  from  letter- 
heads     14 

Specimens  of  letterheads  used  for  official  stationery      27 

As  to  the  use  of  the  symbol  "&"  and  the  abbrevia- 
tion of  the  word  "Company,"  tlie  safest  plan  in 
writing  to  a  company  is  to  spell  its  name  exactly  as 
it  appears  on  its  letterhead 42 

Specimens  of  formal  wedding  invitations ....       48 

Specimens  of  formal  invitations  to  a  wedding  recep- 
tion        51 

Specimens  of  wedding  announcements     ....  54 

Specimens  of  formal  dinner  invitations    ....  60 

Specimens  of  formal  invitations  "to  meet"    ...  63 

Specimens  of  formal  invitations  to  a  dance   ...  68 

Specimens  of  business  letterheads 140 


XI 


xii        LIST  OF  TEXT  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Arrangement  of  a  business  letter  (block  form)   . 
Arrangement  of  a  business  letter  (indented  form)   . 
Specimens  of  business  letterheads  used  by  English 


firms 


1  round 
had  in 


Specimens  of  addressed  social  stationery 

Specimens  of  addressed  social  stationery 

The  monograms  in  the  best  taste  are  the  sma 
ones,  but  many  pleasing  designs  may  be 
the  diamond,  square,  and  oblong  shapes    .      .      .     262 

Specimens  of  crested  letter  and  notepaper     .     .     .     263 

Specimens  of  monogrammed  stationery    ....     266 

Specimens  of  business  letterheads 267 

Department  stores  and  firms  that  write  many  letters 
to  women  often  employ  a  notepaper  size       .     .     270 

Specimens  of  stationery  used  by  men  for  personal 
business  letters 271 


PAGE 

144 
145 


207 
259 
260 


THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 


THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

CHAPTER  I 
WHAT  IS  A  LETTER? 

It  is  not  so  long  since  most  personal  letters,  after 
an  extremely  formal  salutation,  began  "I  take  my 
pen  in  hand."  We  do  not  see  that  so  much  nowa- 
days, but  the  spirit  lingers.  Pick  up  the  average  let- 
ter and  you  cannot  fail  to  discover  that  the  writer  has 
grimly  taken  his  pen  in  hand  and,  filled  wath  one 
thought,  has  attacked  the  paper.  That  one  thought 
is  to  get  the  thing  over  with. 

And  perhaps  this  attitude  of  getting  the  thing  over 
with  at  all  costs  is  not  so  bad  after  all.  There  are 
those  who  lament  the  passing  of  the  ceremonious 
letter  and  others  who  regret  that  the  "literary" 
letter — the  kind  of  letter  that  can  be  published — 
is  no  longer  with  us.  But  the  old  letter  of  ceremony 
was  not  really  more  useful  than  a  powdered  wig,  and 
as  for  the  sort  of  letter  that  delights  the  heart  and 
lightens  the  labor  of  the  biographer — well,  that  is 
still  being  written  by  the  kind  of  person  who  can 
write  it.  It  is  better  that  a  letter  should  be  written 
because  the  writer  has  something  to  say  than  as  a 

1 


2  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

token  of  culture.  Some  of  the  letters  of  our  dead 
great  do  too  often  remind  us  that  they  were  not  for- 
getful of  posterity. 

The  average  writer  of  a  letter  might  well  forget 
culture  and  posterity  and  address  himself  to  the  task 
in  hand,  which,  in  other  than  the  most  exceptional 
sort  of  letter,  is  to  say  what  he  has  to  say  in  the 
shortest  possible  compass  that  will  serve  to  convey 
the  thought  or  the  information  that  he  wants  to  hand 
on.  For  a  letter  is  a  conveyance  of  thought;  if  it 
becomes  a  medium  of  expression  it  is  less  a  letter 
than  a  diary  fragment. 

Most  of  our  letters  in  these  days  relate  to  business 
afiFairs  or  to  social  affairs  that,  as  far  as  personaHty  is 
concerned,  might  as  well  be  business.  Our  average 
letter  has  a  rather  narrow  objective  and  is  not  de- 
signed to  be  literature.  We  may,  it  is  true,  write  to 
cheer  up  a  sick  friend,  we  may  write  to  tell  about 
what  we  are  doing,  we  may  write  that  sort  of  missive 
which  can  be  classified  only  as  a  love  letter — but 
unless  such  letters  come  naturally  it  is  better  that 
they  be  not  written.  They  are  the  exceptional 
letters.  It  is  absurd  to  write  them  according  to 
rule.  In  fact,  it  is  absurd  to  write  any  letter  accord- 
ing to  rule.  But  one  can  learn  the  best  usage  in 
correspondence,  and  that  is  all  that  this  book  at- 
tempts to  present. 

The  heyday  of  letter  writing  was  in  the  eighteenth 
century  in  England.  George  Saintsbury,  in  his  in- 
teresting "A  Letter  Book,"  says: 


WHAT  IS  A  LETTER  S 

"By  common  consent  of  all  opinion  worth  attention 
that  century  was,  in  the  two  European  literatures 
which  were  equally  free  from  crudity  and  decadence 
— ^French  and  English — the  very  palmiest  day  of  the 
art.  Everybody  wrote  letters,  and  a  surprising 
number  of  people  wrote  letters  well.  Our  own  three 
most  famous  epistolers  of  the  male  sex,  Horace  Wal- 
pole.  Gray,  and  Cowper — belong  wholly  to  it;  and 
*Lady  Mary' — our  most  famous  she-ditto — belongs 
to  it  by  all  but  her  childhood;  as  does  Chesterfield, 
whom  some  not  bad  judges  would  put  not  far  if  at  all 
below  the  three  men  just  mentioned.  The  rise  of 
the  novel  in  this  century  is  hardly  more  remarkable 
than  the  way  in  which  that  novel  almost  wedded 
itself — certainly  joined  itself  in  the  most  frequent 
friendship — to  the  letter-form.  But  perhaps  the 
excellence  of  the  choicer  examples  in  this  time  is  not 
really  more  important  than  the  abundance,  variety, 
and  popularity  of  its  letters,  whether  good,  indiffer- 
ent, or  bad.  To  use  one  of  the  informal  superlatives 
sanctioned  by  familiar  custom  it  was  the  *letter- 
writingest'  of  ages  from  almost  every  point  of  view. 
In  its  least  as  in  its  most  dignified  moods  it  even 
overflowed  into  verse  if  not  into  poetry  as  a  medium. 
Serious  epistles  had — of  course  on  classical  models — 
been  written  in  verse  for  a  long  time.  But  now  in 
England  more  modern  patterns,  and  especially 
Anstey's  New  Bath  Guide,  started  the  fashion  of 
actual  correspondence  in  doggerel  verse  with  no 
thought  of  print — a  practice  in  which  persons  as 


4  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

different  as  Madame  d'Arblay's  good-natured  but 
rather  foolish  father,  and  a  poet  and  historian  Hke 
Southey  indulged;  and  which  did  not  become  ob- 
solete till  Victorian  times,  if  then." 

There  is  a  wide  distinction  between  a  letter  and  an 
epistle.  The  letter  is  a  substitute  for  a  spoken  con- 
versation. It  is  spontaneous,  private,  and  personal. 
It  is  non-literary  and  is  not  written  for  the  eyes  of  the 
general  public.  The  epistle  is  in  the  way  of  being  a 
public  speech — an  audience  is  in  mind.  It  is  written 
with  a  view  to  permanence.  The  relation  between 
an  epistle  and  a  letter  has  been  compared  to  that 
between  a  Platonic  dialogue  and  a  talk  between  two 
friends.  A  great  man's  letters,  on  account  of  their 
value  in  setting  forth  the  views  of  a  school  or  a  per- 
son, may,  if  produced  after  his  death,  become 
epistles.  Some  of  these,  genuine  or  forgeries,  under 
some  eminent  name,  have  come  down  to  us  from  the 
days  of  the  early  Roman  Empire.  Cicero,  Plato, 
Aristotle,  Demosthenes,  are  the  principal  names  to 
which  these  epistles,  genuine  and  pseudonymous,  are 
attached. 

Some  of  the  letters  of  Cicero  are  rather  epistles,  as 
they  were  intended  for  the  general  reader. 

The  ancient  world — Babylonia,  Assyria,  Egypt, 
Rome,  and  Greece — figures  in  our  inheritance  of  let- 
ters. In  Egypt  have  been  discovered  genuine  let- 
ters. The  papyrus  discoveries  contain  letters  of 
unknowns  who  had  no  thought  of  being  read  by  the 
general  public. 


WHAT  IS  A  LETTER?  5 

During  the  Renaissance,  Cicero's  letters  were 
used  as  models  for  one  of  the  most  common  forms  of 
literarj'  effort.  There  is  a  whole  literature  of  epistles 
from  Petrarch  to  the  Epistolce  obscurorum  virorum. 
These  are,  to  some  degree,  similar  to  the  Epistles 
of  Martin  Mar  prelate. 

Later  epistolary  satires  are  Pascal's  "Pro™cial 
Letters,"  Swift's  "Drapier  Letters,"  and  the  "Let- 
ters of  Junius." 

Pope,  soon  to  be  followed  by  Lady  Mary  Montagu, 
was  the  first  Englishman  who  treated  letter  writing 
as  an  art  upon  a  considerable  scale. 

Modern  journalism  uses  a  form  known  as  the 
"open  letter"  which  is  really  an  epistle. 

But  we  are  not  here  concerned  with  the  letter  as 
literature. 


CHAPTER  n 
THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  LETTER  ' 

No  ONE  can  go  far  wrong  in  writing  any  sort  of 
letter  if  first  the  trouble  be  taken  to  set  out  the  exact 
object  of  the  letter.  A  letter  always  has  an  object — 
otherwise  why  write  it?  But  somehow,  and  particu- 
larly in  the  dictated  letter,  the  object  frequently  gets 
lost  in  the  words.  A  handwritten  letter  is  not  so 
apt  to  be  wordy — ^it  is  too  much  trouble  to  write.  But 
a  man  dictating  may,  especially  if  he  be  interrupted 
by  telephone  calls,  ramble  all  around  what  he  wants 
to  say  and  in  the  end  have  used  two  pages  for  what 
ought  to  have  been  said  in  three  lines.  On  the  other 
hand,  letters  may  be  so  brief  as  to  produce  an  im- 
pression of  abrupt  discourtesy.  It  is  a  rare  writer 
who  can  say  all  that  need  be  said  in  one  line  and  not 
seem  rude.     But  it  can  be  done. 

The  single  purpose  of  a  letter  is  to  convey  thought. 
That  thought  may  have  to  do  with  facts,  and  the 
further  purjK)se  may  be  to  have  the  thought  produce 
action.  But  plainly  the  action  depends  solely  upon 
how  well  the  thought  is  transferred.  Words  as  used 
in  a  letter  are  vehicles  for  thought,  but  every  word  is 
not  a  vehicle  for  thought,  because  it  may  not  be  the 
kind  of  word  that  goes  to  the  place  where  you  want 

6 


THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  LETTER    7 

your  thought  to  go;  or,  to  put  it  another  way,  there 
is  a  wide  variation  in  the  understanding  of  words. 
The  average  American  vocabulary  is  quite  Hmited, 
and  where  an  exactly  phrased  letter  might  com- 
pletely convey  an  exact  thought  to  a  person  of 
education,  that  same  letter  might  be  meaningless  to  a 
person  who  understands  but  few  words.  Therefore, 
it  is  fatal  in  general  letter  writing  to  venture  into 
unusual  words  or  to  go  much  beyond  the  vocabulary 
of,  say,  a  grammar  school  graduate.  Statistics  show 
that  the  ordinary  adult  in  the  United  States — that 
is,  the  great  American  public — has  either  no  high 
school  education  or  less  than  a  year  of  it.  You  can 
assume  in  writing  to  a  man  whom  you  do  not  know 
and  about  whom  you  have  no  information  that  he  has 
only  a  grammar  school  education  and  that  in  using 
other  than  commonplace  words  you  run  a  double 
danger — first,  that  he  will  not  know  what  you  are 
talking  about  or  will  misinterpret  it;  and  second,  that 
he  wiU  think  you  are  trying  to  be  highfalutin  and 
will  resent  your  possibly  quite  innocent  parade  of 
language. 

In  a  few  very  effective  sales  letters  the  writers 
have  taken  exactly  the  opposite  tack.  They  have 
slung  language  in  the  fashion  of  a  circus  pubUcity 
agent,  and  by  their  verbal  gymnastics  have  attracted 
attention.  This  sort  of  thing  may  do  very  well  in 
some  kinds  of  circular  letters,  but  it  is  quite  out  of 
place  in  the  common  run  of  business  correspondence, 
and  a  comparison  of  the  sales  letters  of  many  com- 


8  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

panics  with  their  day-to-day  correspondence  shows 
clearly  the  need  for  more  attention  to  the  day-to-day 
letter.  A  sales  letter  may  be  bought.  A  number  of 
very  competent  men  make  a  business  of  writing  let- 
ters for  special  purposes.  But  a  higher  tone  in  gen- 
eral correspondence  cannot  be  bought  and  paid  for. 
It  has  to  be  developed.  A  good  letter  writer  will 
neither  insult  the  intelligence  of  his  correspondent  by 
making  the  letter  too  childish,  nor  will  he  make  the 
mistake  of  going  over  his  head.  He  will  visualize 
who  is  going  to  receive  his  letter  and  use  the  kind  of 
language  that  seems  best  to  fit  both  the  subject 
matter  and  the  reader,  and  he  will  give  the  fitting 
of  the  words  to  the  reader  the  first  choice. 

There  is  something  of  a  feehng  that  letters  should 
be  elegant — that  if  one  merely  expresses  oneself 
simply  and  clearly,  it  is  because  of  some  lack  of 
erudition,  and  that  true  erudition  breaks  out  in 
great,  sonorous  words  and  involved  constructions. 
There  could  be  no  greater  mistake.  The  man  who 
really  knows  the  language  will  write  simply.  The 
man  who  does  not  know  the  language  and  is  affecting 
something  which  he  thinks  is  culture  has  what  might 
be  called  a  sense  of  linguistic  insecurity,  which  is  akin 
to  the  sense  of  social  insecurity.  Now  and  again  one 
meets  a  person  who  is  dreadfully  afraid  of  making  a 
social  error.  He  is  afraid  of  getting  hold  of  the 
wrong  fork  or  of  doing  something  else  that  is  not  done. 
Such  people  labor  along  frightfully.  They  have  a 
perfectly  vile  time  of  it,  but  any  one  who  knows  social 


THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE  LETTER    9 

usage  takes  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  He  observes  the 
rules,  not  because  they  are  rules,  but  because  they  are 
second  nature  to  him,  and  he  shamelessly  violates  the 
rules  if  the  occasion  seems  to  warrant  it.  It  is  quite 
the  same  with  the  letter.  One  should  know  his 
ground  well  enough  to  do  what  one  likes,  bearing  in 
mind  that  there  is  no  reason  for  writing  a  letter  unless 
the  objective  is  clearly  defined.  Writing  a  letter  is 
like  shooting  at  a  target.  The  target  may  be  hit 
by  accident,  but  it  is  more  apt  to  be  hit  if  careful  aim 
has  been  taken. 


CHAPTER  m 
THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER 

The  mechanical  construction  of  a  letter,  whether 
social,  friendly,  or  business,  falls  into  six  or  seven 
parts.  This  arrangement  has  become  established 
by  the  best  custom.    The  divisions  are  as  follows: 

1.  Heading 

2.  Inside  address  (Always  used  in  business 
letters  but  omitted  in  social  and  friendly 
letters) 

3.  Salutation 

4.  Body 

6.    Complimentary  close 

6.  Signature 

7.  Superscription 

1.  The  Heading 

The  heading  of  a  letter  contains  the  street  address, 
city,  state,  and  the  date.  The  examples  below  will 
illustrate: 

2018  Calumet  Street          or  1429  Eighth  Avenue  1 

Chicago,  111.  New  York.  N.  Y. 

May  12, 1921  March  8, 1922 

10 


Guaranty  Trust  Company  of  New  York 

l«0  Broadway 
ntai<M~M  onK-a  Capilal  $  aaooo.ooo    Surplus  f  as.000.000 


CakU  KUrtmm  TWl»Uta^ 


■*" New  York. 

^MUlaiaUMa 


TMC 

PiAST  NATioNAi.  Sank 

CMICAOO 


<v%  rwvkv  MMe  •  neooooe 


The  XewIoiikTritst  CoMi^^irr 


<>w»T«A»»«ju)  SO  BUOUklk  MVKICKV 

*•!**¥(¥  D.  Gia  BOM 


The  Liberty  National  Bank 


**Q8W 


CkCvtLAHO  TwurrCoMPAtrr 

CVCfclO*¥CMVC  ANOCAST  MIMIK  STRCrV 
CkCVCkANB 


In  the  business  letterhead  appear  the  name  of  the  firm,  its  address,  and 
the  kind  of  business  engaged  in 

11 


12  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

When  the  heading  is  typewritten  or  written  by 
hand,  it  is  placed  at  the  top  of  the  first  letter  sheet 
close  to  the  right-hand  margin.  It  should  begin 
about  in  the  center,  that  is,  it  should  extend  no  far- 
ther to  the  left  than  the  center  of  the  page.  If  a 
letter  is  short  and  therefore  placed  in  the  center  of  a 
page,  the  heading  will  of  course  be  lower  and  farther 
in  from  the  edge  than  in  a  longer  letter.  But  it 
should  never  be  less  than  an  inch  from  the  top  and 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  from  the  edge. 

In  the  business  letterhead  appear  the  name  of  the 
firm,  its  address,  and  the  kind  of  business  engaged  in. 
The  last  is  often  omitted  in  the  case  of  widely  known 
firms  or  where  the  nature  of  the  business  is  indicated 
by  the  name  of  the  firm. 

In  the  case  of  a  printed  or  engraved  letterhead, 
the  written  heading  should  consist  only  of  the  date. 
The  printed  date-line  is  not  good.  To  mix  printed 
and  written  or  typed  characters  detracts  from  the  neat 
appearance  of  the  letter. 

In  social  stationery  the  address,  when  engraved, 
should  be  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  from  the 
top  of  the  sheet,  either  in  the  center  or  at  the  right- 
hand  corner.  When  the  address  is  engraved,  the 
date  may  be  written  at  the  end  of  the  last  sheet, 
from  the  left-hand  corner,  directly  after  the  signature. 

2.  The  Inside  Address 

In  social  correspondence  what  is  known  as  the 
inside  address  is  omitted.    In  all   business  corre- 


New  York  Lifi  Insurancc  CoMmufV 

3«e  BROADWAY.  Ntw  YORK. 

wct-Mitciocmk  ofnci> 


AtJJMNAC  A^SOCfATtOM 

•RVN  MAwn  coi  I  ro« 


AMERICAN  CHEMICAL  SOCimf 
orrici  or  th(  ucmctah* 


Wavhincton.  D.  & 


NATroN At  Alliance  of  Employers  and  Employed. 


e«. VICTORIA  STREET. 

UONOON.  S.W.I 


Letterheads  used  by  a  life  insurance  company,  a  law  firm,  and  three 
associations 

13 


COCTMACa 


atonee  w  oocthals  and  company. 

nc 

«OW*bt.  STACCT 

HIW  rOKK 

^,eM^me??t/b^^o^^&?^miwn/ 


Ul  BROADWAY-:  TRINITY  BUILODtO 


In  the  case  of  widely  known  firms,  or  where  the  name  of  the  firm 
itself  indicates  it,  reference  to  the  nature  of  the  business  is  often  omitted 
from  letterheads. 

14 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  15 

spondence  it  is  obviously  necessary.  The  name  and 
address  of  the  person  to  whom  a  business  letter  is 
sent  is  placed  at  the  left-hand  side  of  the  letter  sheet 
below  the  heading,  about  an  inch  from  the  edge  of 
the  sheet,  that  is,  leaving  the  same  margin  as  in  the 
body  of  the  letter.  The  distance  below  the  heading 
will  be  decided  by  the  length  and  arrangement  of 
the  letter.  The  inside  address  consists  of  the  name 
of  the  person  or  of  the  firm  and  the  address.  The 
address  should  comprise  the  street  number,  the  city, 
and  the  state.  The  state  may,  in  the  case  of  certain 
very  large  cities,  be  omitted.  Either  of  the  follow- 
ing styles  may  be  used — the  straight  edge  or  the 
diagonal : 

Wharton  &  Whaley  Co. 

Madison  Avenue  &  Forty-Fifth  Street 

New  York,  N.  Y. 

or 

Wharton  &  Whaley  Co. 

Madison  Avenue  &  Forty-Fifth  Street 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Punctuation  at  the  ends  of  the  lines  of  the 
heading  and  the  address  may  or  may  not  be  used. 
There  is  a  growing  tendency  to  omit  it. 

The  inside  address  may  be  written  at  the  end  of 
the  letter,  from  the  left,  below  the  signature.  Xhis 
is  done  in  official  letters,  both  formal  and  informal. 
These  official  letters  are  further  described  under  the 
heading  "Salutation"  and  in  the  chapter  on  station- 
ery. 


16  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

3.   The  Salutation 
Social  Letters 

The  salutation,  or  complimentary  address  to  thft 
person  to  vrliom  the  letter  is  written,  in  a  social  letter 
should  begin  at  the  left-hand  side  of  the  sheet  about 
half  an  inch  below  the  heading  and  an  inch  from  the 
edge  of  the  paper.  The  form  "My  dear"  is  con- 
sidered in  the  United  States  more  formal  than 
"Dear."  Thus,  when  we  write  to  a  woman  who  is 
simply  an  acquaintance,  we  should  say  "My  dear 
Mrs.  Evans."  If  we  are  writing  to  someone  more 
intimate  we  should  say  "Dear  Mrs.  Evans."  The 
opposite  is  true  in  England — that  is,  "  My  dear  Mrs. 
Evans"  would  be  written  to  a  friend  and  "Dear  IVIrs. 
Evans"  to  a  mere  acquaintance.  In  writing  to  an 
absolute  stranger,  the  full  name  should  be  written 
and  then  immediately  under  it,  slightly  to  the  right, 
"Dear  Madam"  or  "Dear  Sir."     For  example: 

Mrs.  John  Evans, 
Dear  Madam: 
or 

Mr.  William  Sykes, 
Dear  Sir: 

The  salutation  is  followed  by  a  colon  or  a  comma. 

Business  Letters 

In  business  letters  the  forms  of  salutation  in  com- 
mon use  are:  "Dear  Sir,"    "Gentlemen,"   "Dear 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  17 

Madam,**  and  "Mesdames."  In  the  still  more 
formal  "My  dear  Sir"  and  "My  dear  Madam"  note 
that  the  second  word  is  not  capitalized.  A  woman, 
whether  married  or  unmarried,  is  addressed  "Dear 
Madam."  If  the  writer  of  the  letter  is  personally 
acquainted  with  the  person  addressed,  or  if  they 
have  had  much  correspondence,  he  may  use  the  less 
formal  address,  as  "^ly  dear  Mr.  Sykes." 

The  salutation  follows  the  inside  address  and 
preserves  the  same  margin  as  does  the  first  line  of  the 
address.     The  following  are  correct  forms : 

White  Brothers  Co.  White  Brothers  Co. 

591  Fifth  Avenue  591  Fifth  Avenue 

New  York  or  New  York 

Gentlemen:  Gentlemen: 

"Dear  Sirs"  is  no  longer  much  used — although  in 
many  ways  it  seems  to  be  better  taste. 

In  the  case  of  a  firm  or  corporation  with  a  single 
name,  as  Daniel  Davey,  Inc.,  or  of  a  firm  or  corpora- 
tion consisting  of  men  and  women,  the  salutation 
is  also '' Gentlemen"  (or  "Dear  Sirs").  In  letters 
to  or  by  government  officials  the  extremely  formal 
"Sir"  or  "Sirs"  is  used.  These  are  known  as  for- 
mal oflScial  letters. 

The  informal  official  letter  is  used  between  business 
men  and  concerns  things  not  in  the  regular  routine  of 
business  affairs.  These  letters  are  decidedly  in- 
formal and  may  be  quite  conversational  in  tone. 


18  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

The  use  of  a  name  alone  as  a  salutation  is  not  cor^ 
rect,  as: 

Mr.  John  Evans: 

I  have  your  letter  of— 

Forms  of  salutation  to  be  avoided  are  "Dear  Miss," 
"Dear  Friend,"  "Messrs." 

In  memoranda  between  members  of  a  company 
the  salutations  are  commonly  omitted — but  these 
memoranda  are  not  letters.  They  are  messages  of  a 
"telegraphic"  nature. 

Titles 

In  the  matter  of  titles  it  has  been  estabKshed  by 
long  custom  that  a  title  of  some  kind  be  used  with  the 
name  of  the  individual  or  firm.  The  more  usual 
titles  are: 

"Mr.,"  "Mrs.,"  "Miss,"  "Messrs.,"  "Reverend," 
"Doctor,"  "Professor,"  and  "Honorable."  "Es- 
quire," written  "Esq."  is  used  in  England  instead  of 
the  "Mr."  in  common  use  in  the  United  States.  Al- 
though still  adhered  to  by  some  in  this  country,  its 
use  is  rather  restricted  to  social  letters.  Of  course  it 
is  never  used  with  "Mr."  Write  either  "Mr. 
George  L.  Ashley"  or  "George  L.  Ashley,  Esq." 

The  title  "Messrs."  is  used  in  addressing  two  or 
more  persons  who  are  in  business  partnership,  as 
"Messrs.  Brown  and  Clark"  or  "Brown  &  Clark"; 
but  The  National  Cash  Register  Company,  for  ex- 
ample, should  not  be  addressed  "Messrs.  National, 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  19 

Cash  Register  Company"  but  "The  National  Cash 
Register  Company."  The  form  "Messrs."  is  an 
abbreviation  of  "Messieurs"  and  should  not  be 
abbreviated  in  any  way  other  than  "Messrs."  The 
title  "jVIiss"  is  not  recognized  as  an  abbreviation 
and  is  not  followed  by  a  period. 

Honorary  degrees,  such  as  "M.D.,"  "Ph.D.," 
"M.A.,"  "B.S.,"  "LL.D.,"  follow  the  name  of  the 
person  addressed.  The  initials  "M.'D."  must  not 
be  used  in  connection  with  "Doctor"  as  this  would  be 
a  duphcation.  Write  either  "Dr.  Herbert  Rey- 
holds"  or  "Herbert  Reynolds,  M.D."  The  titles 
of  "Doctor,"  "Reverend,"  and  "Professor"  precede 
the  name  of  the  addressed,  as:  "Dr.  Herbert  Rey- 
nolds," "Rev.  Philip  Bentley,"  "Prof.  Lucius  Pal- 
mer." It  will  be  observed  that  these  titles  are  us- 
ually abbreviated  on  the  envelope  and  in  the  inside 
address,  but  in  the  salutation  they  must  be  written 
out  in  full,  as  "My  dear  Doctor,"  or  "My  dear 
Professor."  In  formal  notes  one  writes  "My  dear 
Doctor  Reynolds"  or  "My  dear  Professor  Palmer." 
In  less  formal  notes,  "Dear  Doctor  Reynolds"  and 
"Dear  Professor  Palmer"  may  be  used. 

A  question  of  taste  arises  in  the  use  of  "Doctor." 
The  medical  student  completing  the  studies  which 
would  ordinarily  lead  to  a  bachelor's  degree  is  known 
as  "Doctor,"  and  the  term  has  become  associated  in 
the  popular  mind  with  medicine  and  surgery.  The 
title  "Doctor"  is,  however,  an  academic  distinction, 
and  although  applied  to  all  graduate  medical  practi- 


20  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

tioners  is,  in  all  other  realms  of  learning,  a  degree 
awarded  for  graduate  work,  as  Doctor  of  Philosophy 
(Ph.D.) J  or  for  distinguished  services  that  cause  a 
collegiate  institution  to  confer  an  honorary  degree 
such  as  Doctor  of  Common  Law  (D.C.L.),  Doctor  of 
Law  and  Literature  (LL.D.),  Doctor  of  Science 
(Sc.D.),  and  so  on.  Every  holder  of  a  doctor's  degree 
is  entitled  to  be  addressed  as  "Doctor,"  but  in 
practice  the  salutation  is  rarely  given  to  the  holders 
of  the  honorary  degrees — mostly  because  they  do 
not  care  for  it. 

Do  not  use  "Mr."  or  "Esq."  with  any  of  the  titles 
mentioned  above. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  should  be 
addressed  formally  as  "Sir,"  informally  as  "My 
dear  Mr.  President. " 

Members  of  Congress  and  of  the  state  legislatures, 
diplomatic  representatives,  judges,  and  justices  are  en- 
titled "Honorable,"  as  "Honorable  Samuel  Sloane," 
thus: 

(Formal) 
Honorable  (or  Hon.)  Jolin  Henley 
Sir: 

(Informal) 
Honorable  (or  Hon.)  John  Henley 
My  dear  Mr.  Henley: 

Titles  such  as  "Cashier,"  "Secretary,"  and 
"Agent"  are  in  the  nature  of  descriptions  and  fol- 
low the  name;  as  "Mr.  Charles  Hamill,  Cashier." 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  21 

When  such  titles  as  "Honorable"  and  "Reverend" 
are  used  in  the  body  of  the  letter  they  are  preceded 
by  the  article  "the."  Thus,  "The Honorable  Samuel 
Sloane  will  address  the  meeting." 

A  woman  should  never  be  addressed  by  her  hus- 
band's title.  Thus  the  wife  of  a  doctor  is  not  "Mrs. 
Dr.  Royce"  but  "Mrs.  Paul  Royce."  The  titles  of 
"Judge,"  "General,"  and  "Doctor"  belong  to  the 
husband  only.  Of  course,  if  a  woman  has  a  title  of 
her  own,  she  may  use  it.  If  she  is  an  "M.D."  she  will 
be  designated  as  "Dr.  Elizabeth  Ward."  In  this  case 
her  husband's  Christian  name  would  not  be  used. 

In  writing  to  the  clergy,  the  following  rules  should 
be  observed: 

For  a  Cardinal  the  only  salutation  is  "Your 
Eminence."  The  address  on  the  envelope  should 
read  "His  Eminence  John  Cardinal  Farley." 

To  an  Archbishop  one  should  write  "Most  Rev. 
Patrick  J.  Hayes,  D.D.,  Archbishop  of  New  York." 
The  salutation  is  usually  "Your  Grace,"  although  it 
is  quite  admissible  to  use  "Dear  Archbishop."  The 
former  is  preferable  and  of  more  common  usage. 

The  correct  form  of  address  for  a  Bishop  is  "The 

Right  Reverend  John  Jones,  D.D.,  Bishop  of ." 

The  salutation  in  a  formal  letter  should  be  "Right 
Reverend  and  dear  Sir,"  but  this  would  be  used 
only  in  a  strictly  formal  communication.  In  this 
salutation  "dear"  is  sometimes  capitalized,  so  that 
it  would  read  "Right  Reverend  and  Dear  Sir"; 
although  the  form  in  the  text  seems  preferable,  some 


I 


22  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

bishops  use  the  capitahzed  "Dear."  The  usual 
form  is  "My  dear  Bishop,"  with  "The  Right  Rever- 
end John  Jones,  D.D.,  Bishop  of    "  written 

above  it.  In  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  a 
Dean  is  addressed  "The  Very  Reverend  John  Jones, 

D.D.,  Dean  of    "     The  informal  salutation  is 

"My  dear  Dean  Jones"  and  the  formal  is  "Very 
Reverend  and  dear  Sir." 

In  addressing  a  priest,  the  formal  salutation  is 
"Reverend  and  dear  Sir,"  or  "Reverend  dear 
Father."  The  envelope  reads  simply:  "The  Rev. 
Joseph  J.  Smith,"  followed  by  any  titles  the  priest 
may  enjoy. 

The  form  used  in  addressing  the  other  clergy  is 
**The  Reverend  John  Jones,"  and  the  letter,  if 
strictly  formal,  would  commence  with  "Reverend 
and  Dear  Sir."  The  more  usual  form,  however, 
is  "My  dear  IMr.  Brown  (or  "Dr.  Brown,"  as  the  case 
may  be).  The  use  of  the  title  "Reverend"  with  the 
surname  only  is  wholly  inadmissible. 

In  general  usage  the  salutation  in  addressing  formal 
correspondence  to  a  foreign  ambassador  is  "His  Ex- 
cellency," to  a  IMinister  or  Charge  d'Affaires,  "Sir.''' 
In  informal  corresjxjndence  the  general  form  is  "My 
dear  Mr.  Ambassador,"  "My  dear  IVIr.  Minister," 
or  "My  dear  Mr.  Charge  d'Affaires." 

4.  The  Body  of  the  Letter 

In  the  placing  of  a  formal  note  it  must  be  arranged 
so  that  the  complete  note  appears  on  the  first  page 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  23 

only.  The  social  letter  is  either  formal  or  informal. 
The  formal  letter  must  be  written  according  to  cer- 
tain established  practice.  It  is  the  letter  used  for 
invitations  to  formal  affairs,  for  announcements, 
and  for  the  acknowledgment  of  these  letters.  The 
third  person  must  always  be  used.  If  one  receives  a 
letter  written  in  the  third  person  one  must  answer  in 
kind.     It  would  be  obviously  incongruous  to  write 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

regret  that  we  are  unable  to  accept 

Mrs.  Elliott's 

kind  invitation  for  the  theatre 

on  Thursday,  May  the  fourth 

as  we  have  a  previous  engagement 

It  should  read 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

regret  that  they  are  unable  to  accept 

Mrs.  Elliott's 

kind  invitation  for  the  theatre 

on  Thursday,  May  the  fourth 

as  they  have  a  previous  engagement 

In  these  notes,  the  hour  and  date  are  never  written 
numerically  but  are  spelled  out. 

If  the  family  has  a  coat-of-arms  or  crest  it  may  be 
used  in  the  centre  of  the  engraved  invitation  at  the 
top,  but  monograms  or  stamped  addresses  are  never 
so  used. 

For  the  informal  letter  there  are  no  set  rules  except 
that  of  courtesy,  which  requires  that  we  have  our 


24  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

thought  distinctly  in  mind  before  putting  it  on  paper. 
It  may  be  necessary  to  pause  a  few  moments  before 
writing,  to  think  out  just  what  we  want  to  say.  A 
rambling,  incoherent  letter  is  not  in  good  taste  any 
more  than  careless,  dishevelled  clothing.  Spelling 
should  be  correct.  If  there  is  any  difficulty  in 
spelling,  a  small  dictionary  kept  in  the  desk  drawer  is 
easily  consulted.  Begin  each  sentence  with  a  capi- 
tal. Start  a  new  paragraph  when  you  change  to  a 
new  subject.  Put  periods  (or  interrogation  points 
as  required)  at  the  ends  of  the  sentences.  It  is 
neater  to  preserve  a  margin  on  both  sides  of  the 
letter  sheet. 

In  the  body  of  a  business  letter  the  opening  sen- 
tence is  in  an  important  position,  and  this  is  obviously 
the  place  for  an  important  fact.  It  ought  in  some 
way  to  state  or  refer  to  the  subject  of  or  reason  for 
the  letter,  so  as  to  get  the  attention  of  the  reader 
immediately  to  the  subject. 

It  ought  also  to  suggest  a  courteous  personal  in- 
terest in  the  recipient's  business,  to  give  the  impres- 
sion of  having  to  do  with  his  interests.  For  instance, 
a  reader  might  be  antagonized  by 

Yours  of  the  14th  regarding  the  shortage  m  j'our  last  order 
received. 

How  much  more  tactful  is 

We  regret  to  learn  from  your  letter  of  March  14th  that  there 
was  a  shortage  in  your  last  order. 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  25 

Paragraphs  should  show  the  division  of  the  thought 
of  the  letter.  If  you  can  arrange  and  group  your 
subjects  and  your  thoughts  on  them  logically  in  your 
mind,  you  will  have  no  trouble  in  putting  them  on 
pai>er.  It  is  easier  for  the  reader  to  grasp  your 
thought  if  in  each  paragraph  are  contained  only  one 
thought  and  the  ideas  pertaining  to  it. 

The  appearance  of  a  business  letter  is  a  matter  to 
which  all  too  little  concern  has  been  given.  A  firm 
or  business  which  would  not  tolerate  an  unkempt 
salesman  sometimes  will  think  nothing  of  sending  out 
badly  typed,  badly  placed,  badly  spelled  letters. 

The  first  step  toward  a  good-looking  letter  is 
proper  stationery,  though  a  carefully  typed  and 
placed  letter  on  poor  stationery  is  far  better  than  one 
on  good  stationery  with  a  good  letterhead  but  p)oor 
typing  and  placing. 

The  matter  of  correct  spelling  is  merely  a  case  of 
the  will  to  consult  a  dictionary  when  in  doubt. 

The  proper  placing  of  a  letter  is  something  which 
well  rewards  the  care  necessary  at  first.  Estimate 
the  matter  to  go  on  the  page  with  regard  to  the  size 
of  the  page  and  arrange  so  that  the  centre  of  the 
letter  will  be  slightly  above  the  centre  of  the  letter 
sheet.  The  margins  should  act  as  a  frame  or  setting 
for  the  letter.  The  left-hand  space  should  be  at 
least  an  inch  and  the  right-hand  at  last  a  half  inch. 
Of  course  if  the  letter  is  short  the  margins  will  be 
wider.  The  top  and  bottom  margins  should  be 
wider  than  the  side  margins. 


26  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

The  body  of  the  letter  should  begin  at  the  same 
distance  from  the  edge  as  the  first  line  of  the  inside 
address  and  the  salutation. 

All  paragraphing  should  be  indicated  by  indenting 
the  same  distances  from  the  margin — about  an  inch — 
or  if  the  block  system  is  used  no  paragraph  indenta- 
tion is  made  but  double  or  triple  spacing  between  the 
paragraphs  indicates  the  divisions.  If  the  letter  is 
handwritten,  the  spacing  between  the  paragraphs 
should  be  noticeably  greater  than  that  between  other 
lines. 

Never  write  on  both  sides  of  a  sheet.  In  writing  a 
business  letter,  if  the  letter  requires  more  than  one 
page,  use  plain  sheets  of  the  same  size  and  quality 
without  the  letterhead.  These  additional  sheets 
should  be  numbered  at  the  top.  The  name  or  ini- 
tials of  the  firm  or  person  to  whom  the  letter  is  going 
should  also  apj>ear  at  the  top  of  the  sheets.  This 
letter  should  never  run  over  to  a  second  sheet  if  there 
are  less  than  three  lines  of  the  body  of  the  letter  left 
over  from  the  first  page. 

In  the  formal  official  letter,  that  is,  in  letters  to  or 
by  government  officials,  members  of  Congress,  and 
other  dignitaries,  the  most  rigid  formality  in  language 
is  observed.  No  colloquialisms  are  allowed  and  no 
abbreviations. 

5.  The  Complimentaey  Close 

The  complimentary  close  follows  the  body  of  the 
letter,  about  two  or  three  spaces  below  it.    It  begins 


TMC  wMire  HOuse 

WAStilMOTOM. 


mruttrntoitmcm 


Federal  Reserve  Board 
Washinotoh 


NOOQUAIITEIIS 

tniTCO  «T*TI»  MILITARY   ACABtlW 

WIST   rOINT^HCW  VOKK 


AMCniCAN  COHHISSIOM 
TO  NEGOrtJtTC  PCACS 


Specimens  of  letterheads  used  for  official  stationery 
87 


28  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

about  in  the  center  of  the  page  under  the  body  of  the 
letter.  Only  the  first  word  should  be  capitalized 
and  a  comma  is  placed  at  the  end.  The  wording  may 
vary  according  to  the  degree  of  cordiality  or  friend- 
ship. In  business  letters  the  forms  are  usually  re- 
stricted to  the  following: 

Yours  truly  (or)  Truly  yours  (not  good  form) 
Yours  very  truly  (or)  Very  truly  yours 
Yours  respectfully  (or)  Respectfully  yours 
Yours  very  respectfully. 

If  the  corresjwndents  are  on  a  more  intimate  basis 
they  may  use 

Faithfully  yours 

Cordially  yours 

Sincerely  yours. 

In  formal  official  letters  the  complimentary  close  is 
Resi)ectfully  yours 
Yours  respectfully. 

The  informal  social  letter  may  close  with 
Yours  sincerely 
Yours  very  sincerely 
Yours  cordially 
Yours  faithfully 

Yours  gratefully  (if  a  favor  has  been  done) 
Yours  affectionately 
Very  affectionately  yours 
Yours  lovingly 
Lovingly  yours. 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  29 

The  position  of  "yours"  may  be  at  the  beginning 
or  at  the  end,  but  it  must  never  be  abbreviated  or 
omitted. 

If  a  touch  of  formal  courtesy  is  desired,  the  forms 
"I  am"  or  "I  remain"  may  be  used  before  the  com- 
phmentary  closing.  These  words  keep  the  same 
margin  as  the  paragraph  indenting.  But  in  business 
letters  they  are  not  used. 

6.  The  Signature 

The  signature  is  written  below  the  complimentary 
close  and  a  little  to  the  right,  so  that  it  ends  about  at 
the  right-hand  margin.  In  signing  a  social  letter  a 
married  woman  signs  herself  as  "Evelyn  Rundell,'* 
not  "Mrs.  James  Rundell"  nor  "Mrs.  Evelyn  Run- 
dell."  The  form  "Mrs.  James  Rundell"  is  used  in 
business  letters  when  the  recipient  might  be  in  doubt 
as  to  whether  to  address  her  as  "Mrs."  or  "Miss." 
Thus  a  married  woman  would  sign  such  a  business 
letter: 

Yours  very  truly, 

Evelyn  Rundell 
(Mrs.  James  Rundell). 

An  unmarried  woman  signs  as  "Ruth  Evans," 
excepting  in  the  case  of  a  business  letter  where  she 
might  be  mistaken  for  a  widow.  She  then  prefixes 
"INliss"  in  parentheses,  as  (Miss)  Ruth  Evans. 

A  woman  should  not  sign  only  her  given  name  in 
a  letter  to  a  man  unless  he  is  her  fiance  or  a  relative 
or  an  old  family  friend. 


so  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

A  widow  signs  her  name  with  "Mrs."  in  paren- 
theses before  it,  as  (Mrs.)  Susan  Briggs  Geer. 

A  divorced  woman,  if  she  retains  her  husband's 
name,  signs  her  letters  with  her  given  name  and  her 
own  surname  followed  by  her  husband's  name,  thus: 

Janet  Hawkins  Can*. 

and  in  a  business  communication: 

Janet  Hawkins  Carr 
(Mrs.  Janet  Hawkins  Cair). 

A  signature  should  always  be  made  by  hand  and  in 
ink.  The  signature  to  a  business  letter  may  be 
simply  the  name  of  the  writer.  Business  firms  or 
corporations  have  the  name  of  the  firm  typed  above 
the  written  signature  of  the  writer  of  the  letter.  Then 
in  type  below  comes  his  official  position.     Thus: 

Hall,  Haines  &  Company  (tj^jewTitten) 
Alfred  Jennings  (handwritten) 
Cashier  (tj-pewritten). 

If  he  is  not  an  official,  his  signature  is  preceded  by 
the  word  "By." 

In  the  case  of  form  letters  or  routine  correspondence 
the  name  of  the  person  directly  responsible  for  the 
letter  may  be  signed  by  a  clerk  with  his  initials  just 
below  it.  Some  business  firms  have  the  name  of  the 
f)erson  responsible  for  the  letter  typed  immediately 
under  the  name  of  the  firm  and  then  his  signature 
below  that.  This  custom  counteracts  illegibility  in 
signatures. 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  31 

In  circular  letters  the  matter  of  a  personal  signature 
is  a  very  important  one.  Some  good  points  on  this 
subject  may  be  gathered  from  the  following  extract 
from  Printers'  Ink. 

Who  shall  sign  a  circular  letter  depends  largely  on  circum- 
stances entering  individual  cases.  Generally  speaking,  every 
letter  should  be  tested  on  a  trial  list  before  it  is  sent  out  in  large 
quantities.  It  is  inadvisable  to  hazard  an  uncertain  letter  idea 
on  a  large  list  until  the  value  of  the  plan,  as  applied  to  that 
particular  business,  has  been  tried  out. 

There  are  certain  things  about  letter  procedure,  however,  that 
experience  has  demonstrated  to  be  fundamental.  One  of  these 
platforms  is  that  it  is  best  to  sign  the  letter  with  some  individual's 
name.  Covering  up  the  resp)onsibility  for  the  letter  with  such  a 
general  term  as  "sales  department"  or  "advertising  department'* 
takes  all  personality  out  of  the  missive  and  to  that  extent  weak- 
ens the  p)ower  of  the  message.  But  even  in  this  we  should  be 
chary  of  following  inflexible  rules.  We  can  conceive  of  circum- 
stances where  it  would  be  advisable  to  have  the  letter  come 
from  a  department  rather  than  from  an  individual. 

Of  course  the  management  of  many  business  organizations 
still  holds  that  all  letters  should  be  signed  by  the  company  only. 
If^the  personal  touch  is  permitted  at  all,  the  extent  of  it  is  to  allow 
the  writer  of  the  letter  to  subscribe  his  initials.  This  idea,  how- 
ever, is  pretty  generally  regarded  as  old-fashioned  and  is  fast 
dying  out. 

•  Most  companies  favor  the  plan  of  having  the  head  of  the 
department  sign  the  circular  letters  emanating  from  his  depart- 
ment. K  he  doesn't  actually  dictate  the  letter  himself,  no  tell- 
tale signs  such  as  the  initials  of  the  actual  dictator  should  be 
made.  If  it  is  a  sales  matter,  the  letter  would  bear  the  signature 
of  the  sales  manager.  If  the  communication  pertained  to  ad- 
vertising, it  would  be  signed  by  the  advertising  manager.  Where 
it  is  desired  to  give  unusual  emphasis  to  the  letter,  it  might  oc- 


32  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

casionally  be  attributed  to  the  president  or  to  some  other  official 
higher  up.  The  big  name  idea  should  not  be  overdone.  People 
will  soon  catch  on  that  the  president  would  not  have  time  to 
answer  all  of  the  company's  correspondence.  If  he  has,  it  is 
evident  that  a  very  small  business  must  be  done. 

A  letter  idea  that  is  coming  into  wide  vogue  is  to  have  the 
letter  signed  by  the  man  in  the  company  who  comes  into  oc- 
casional p)ersonal  contact  with  the  addressee.  One  concern  has 
the  house  salesman  who  waits  on  customers  coming  from  that 
section  of  the  country  when  they  visit  headquarters  sign  all 
promotion  letters  going  to  them.  The  house  salesman  is  the 
only  one  in  the  firm  whom  the  customer  knows.  It  is  reasoned 
that  the  latter  will  give  greater  heed  to  a  letter  coming  from  a 
man  with  whom  he  is  on  friendly  terms.  Another  company  has 
its  branch  managers  take  the  responsibilitj'  for  circular  letters 
sent  to  the  trade  in  that  territory.  Another  manufacturer  has 
his  salesmen  bunched  in  crews  of  six.  Each  crew  is  headed  by 
a  leader.  This  man  has  to  sell,  just  as  his  men  do,  but  in  addi- 
tion he  acts  as  a  sort  of  district  sales  manager.  All  trade  letters 
going  out  in  his  district  carry  the  crew  leader's  signature. 

There  is  much  to  be  said  in  favor  of  this  vogue.  Personal 
contact  is  so  valuable  in  all  business  transactions  that  its  inr 
fluence  should  be  used  in  letters,  in  so  far  as  it  is  practicable? 
to  do  so. 

The  signature  should  not  vary.  Do  not  sign  "G. 
Smith"  to  one  letter,  "George  Smith"  to  another, 
and  "G.  B.  Smith"  to  a  third. 

A  man  should  never  prefix  to  his  signature  any 
title,  as  "Mr."  "Prof.,"  or  "Dr." 

A  postscript  is  sometimes  appended  to  a  business 
letter,  but  the  letters  "P.S."  do  not  appear.  It  is 
not,  however,  used  as  formerly — to  express  some 
thought  which  the  writer  forgot  to  include  in  thp 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER  33 

letter,  or  an  afterthought.  But  on  account  of  its 
unique  position  in  the  letter,  it  is  used  to  place 
special  emphasis  on  an  important  thought. 

7.  The  Superscription 

In  the  outside  address  or  superscription  of  a  letter 
the  following  forms  are  observed : 

A  letter  to  a  woman  must  always  address  her  as 
either  "Mrs."  or  "Miss,"  unless  she  is  a  professional 
woman  with  a  title  such  as  "Dr."  But  this  title  is 
used  only  if  the  letter  is  a  professional  one.  It  is  not 
employed  in  social  correspondence.  A  woman  is 
never  addressed  by  her  husband's  title,  as  "Mrs. 
Captain  Bartlett." 

A  married 'woman  is  addressed  with  "Mrs."  pre- 
fixed to  her  husband's  name,  as  "Mrs.  David 
Greene."     This  holds  even  if  her  husband  is  dead. 

A  divorced  woman  is  addressed  (unless  she  is 
allowed  by  the  courts  to  use  her  maiden  name)  as 
"Mrs."  followed  by  her  maiden  name  and  her  former 
husband's  surname,  as:  "Mrs.  Edna  Boyce  Blair," 
"Edna  Boyce"  being  her  maiden  name. 

A  man  should  be  given  his  title  if  he  possess  one. 
Otherwise  he  must  be  addressed  as  "Mr."  or 
"Esq." 

Titles  of  those  holding  public  office,  of  physicians, 
of  the  clergy,  and  of  professors,  are  generally  abbre- 
viated on  the  envelope  except  in  formal  letters. 

It  is  rather  customary  to  address  social  letters  to 
"Edward  Beech,  Esq.,"  business  letters  to   "Mr. 


34  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Edward  Beech,"  and  a  tradesman's  letter  to  "Peter 
Moore."  A  servant  k  addressed  as  '  WiiKam  White." 
The  idea  has  arisen,  and  it  would  seem  erroneous, 
that  if  the  man  addressed  had  also  "Sr."  or  "Jr." 
attached,  the  title  "Mr."  or  "Esq."  should  not  be 
used.  There  is  neither  rhyme  nor  reason  for  this, 
as  "Sr."  and  "Jr."  are  certainly  not  titles  and  using 
"Mr."  or  "Esq."  would  not  be  a  duplication.  Sd 
the  proper  mode  of  address  would  be 

Mr.  John  Evans,  Jr.  ■ 

John  Evans,  Jr.,  Esq. 

The  "Sr."  is  not  always  necessary  as  it  may  be  un- 
derstood. 

Business  envelopes  should  have  the  address  of  the 
writer  printed  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner  as  a 
return  address.  This  space  should  not  be  used  for 
advertising.  » 

In  addressing  children's  letters,  it  should  be  re- 
membered that  a  letter  to  a  girl  child  is  addressed  to 
**Miss  Jane  Green,"  regardless  of  the  age  of  the 
child.  But  a  little  boy  should  be  addressed  as 
**  Master  Joseph  Green." 

The  address  when  completed  should  be  slightly  be- 
low the  middle  of  the  enveloi>e  and  equidistant  from 
right  and  left  edges.  The  slanting  or  the  straight- 
edge form  may  be  used,  to  agree  with  the  indented 
or  the  block  style  of  paragraphing  respectively. 

Punctuation  at  the  ends  of  the  lines  in  the  envelope 
address  is  not  generally  used. 


THE  PARTS  OF  A  LETTER 


35 


The  post  oflBce  prefers  the  slanting  edge  form  of 
address,  thus: 

(not) 


If  there  is  a  special  address,  such  as  "General 
Delivery,"  "Personal,"  or  "Please  forward,"  it 
should  be  placed  at  the  lower  left-hand  corner  of  the 
envelope. 


CHAPTER  IV 
BEING    APPROPRIATE— WHAT    TO    AVOID 

Common  Offenses 

Under  this  head  are  grouped  a  few  of  the  more 
common  offenses  against  good  form  in  letter  writing; 
some  of  these  have  been  touched  on  in  other  chap- 
ters. 

Never  use  ruled  paper  for  any  correspondence. 

Never  use  tinted  paper  for  business  letters. 

Do  not  have  date  lines  on  printed  letterheads. 
This  of  course  has  to  do  with  business  stationery. 

Do  not  use  simplified  spelling,  if  for  no  other  reason, 
than  that  it  detracts  from  the  reader's  absorp 
tion  of  the  contents  of  the  letter  itself. 

"Enthuse"  is  not  a  word — do  not  use  it. 

Avoid  blots,  fingermarks,  and  erasures. 

Do  not  use  two  one-cent  stamps  in  place  of  a  two- 
cent  stamp.  Somehow  one-cent  stamps  arr 
not  dignified. 

Never  use  "Dear  Friend,"  "Friend  Jack,"  "My 
dear  Friend,"  or  "Friend  Bliss"  as  a  form  of 
salutation.  In  the  case  of  a  business  letter  where 
a  salutation  for  both  sexes  may  be  necessary, 
use  "Gentlemen." 

S6 


WHAT  TO  AVOID  37 

Never  cross  the  writing  in  a  letter  with  more 
writing. 

Never  use  "oblige"  in  the  place  of  the  compli- 
mentary close. 

Do  not  double  titles,  as  "Mr.  John  Walker,  Esq." 
Write  either  "Mr.  John  Walker"  or  "John 
Walker,  Esq." 

A  woman  should  never  sign  herself  "Mrs."  or 
"Miss"  to  a  social  letter.  In  business  letters 
(See  Chapter  3)  it  may  be  necessary  to  prefix 
"Mrs."  or  "Miss"  in  parentheses  to  show  how 
an  answer  should  be  addressed  to  her. 

Never  omit  "Yours"  in  the  complimentary  close. 
Always  write  "Yours  sincerely,"  "Yours  truly," 
or  whatever  it  may  be.  Never  write  a  letter  in 
the  heat  of  anger.  Sleep  on  it  if  you  do  and  the 
next  morning  will  not  see  you  so  anxious  to  send 
it. 

In  some  business  oflBces  it  has  become  the  custom 
to  have  typed  at  the  bottom  of  a  letter,  or  some- 
times even  rubber-stamped,  such  expressions  as: 
Dictated  but  not  read. 

Dictated  by  but  signed  in  the  absence  of . 

Dictated  by  Mr.  Jones,  but,  as  Mr.  Jones  was 
called  away,  signed  by  Miss  Walker. 

While  these  may  be  the  circumstances  under  which 
the  letter  was  written  and  maybe  necessary  for  the 
identification  of  the  letter,  they  are  no  less  discour- 
tesies to  the  reader.  And  it  cannot  improve  the 
situation  to  call  them  to  the  reader*s  attention. 


S8  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

In  the  matter  of  abbreviations  of  titles  and  the  like 
a  safe  rule  is  "  WTien  in  doubt  do  not  abbreviate." 

Sentences  like  "Dictated  by  Mr.  Henry  Pearson 
to  Miss  Oliver"  are  in  bad  form,  not  to  speak  of 
their  being  bad  business.  They  intrude  the  me- 
chanics of  the  letter  on  the  reader  and  in  so  doing 
they  take  his  interest  from  the  actual  object  of 
the  communication.  All  necessary  identification 
can  be  made  by  initials,  as:  L.  S.  B. — T. 

Do  not  write  a  sales  letter  that  gives  the  same 
impression  as  a  strident,  raucous-voiced  sales- 
man. If  the  idea  is  to  attract  attention  by  shout- 
ing louder  than  all  the  rest,  it  might  be  well  to 
remember  that  the  limit  of  screeching  and  of 
words  that  hit  one  in  the  eye  has  probably  been 
reached.  The  tack  to  take,  even  from  a  result' 
producing  standpoint  and  aside  from  the  ques- 
tion of  good  taste,  is  to  have  the  tone  of  the 
letter  quiet  but  forceful — the  firm,  even  tone  of 
a  voice  heard  through  a  yelling  mob. 

Do  not  attempt  to  put  anything  on  paper  without 
first  thinking  out  and  arranging  what  you  want 
to  say. 

Complimentary  closings  in  business  letters,  such 
as  "Yours  for  more  business,"  should  be  avoided 
as  the  plague. 

Stock  Phrases  in  Business  Letters 

There    are    certain    expressions,    certain    stock 
phrases,  which  have  in  the  past  been  considered  ab- 


WHAT  TO  AVOID  39 

solutely  necessary  to  a  proper  knowledge  of  so-called 
business  English.  But  it  is  gratifying  to  notice  the 
emphasis  that  professors  and  teachers  of  business 
English  are  placing  on  the  avoidance  of  these  horrors 
and  on  the  adoption  of  a  method  of  writing  in  which 
one  says  exactly  what  one  means  and  says  it  grace- 
fully and  without  stiltedness  or  intimacy.  Their 
aim  seems  to  be  the  ability  to  write  a  business  letter 
which  may  be  easily  read,  easily  understood,  and  with 
the  important  facts  in  the  attention-compelHng 
places.  But  for  the  sake  of  those  who  still  cling  to 
these  hackneyed  improprieties  (which  most  of  them 
are),  let  us  line  them  up  for  inspection.  Many  of 
them  are  inaccurate,  and  a  moment's  thought  will 
give  a  better  method  of  conveying  the  ideas. 

"We  beg  to  state,"  "We  beg  to  advise,"  "We  beg 
to  remain."  There  is  a  cringing  touch  about  these. 
A  courteous  letter  may  be  written  without  begging. 

"Your  letter  has  come  to  hand"  or  "is  at  hand" 
belongs  to  a  past  age.  Say  "We  have  your  letter  of 
"  or  "We  have  received  your  letter." 

"We  shall  advise  you  of  "     This  is  a  legal 

expression.  Say  "We  shall  let  you  know"  or  "We 
shall  inform  you." 

"As  per  your  letter."  Also  of  legal  connotation. 
Say  "according  to"  or  "in  agreement  with." 

"Your  esteemed  favor"  is  another  relic.  This  is  a 
form  of  courtesy,  but  is  obsolete.  "Favor,"  used  to 
mean  "communication"  or  "letter,"  is  obviously 
inaccurate. 


40  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

"Replying  to  your  letter,  would  say,"  or  "wish  to 
say."  VHiy  not  say  it  at  once  and  abolish  the 
wordiness? 

"State"  gives  the  unpleasant  suggestion  of  a  cross* 
examination.     Use  "say." 

"And  oblige"  adds  nothing  to  the  letter.  If  the 
reader  is  not  already  influenced  by  its  contents,  "and 
oblige  "  will  not  induce  him  to  be. 

The  telegraphic  brevity  caused  by  omitting 
pronouns  and  all  words  not  necessary  to  the  sense 
makes  for  discourtesy  and  brusqueness,  as: 

Answering  yours  of  the  21st  inst.,  order  has  been  delayed,  but 
will  ship  goods  at  once. 

How  much  better  to  say : 

We  have  your  letter  of  21st  October  concerning  the  delay  in 
filling  your  order.  We  greatly  regret  the  delay,  but  we  can  now 
ship  the  goods  at  once. 

"Same"  is  not  a  pronoun.  It  is  used  as  such  in 
legal  documents,  but  it  is  incorrect  to  employ  it  in 
business  letters  as  other  than  an  adjective.  Use 
instead  "they,"  "them,"  or  "it." 

Incorrect: 
We  have  received  your  order  and  same  will  be  forwarded. 

Correct: 
We  have  received  your  order  and  it  will  be  forwarded. 


WHAT  TO  AVOID  41 

"Kindly" — as  in:  "We  kindly  request  that  you  will 
send  your  subscription."  There  is  nothing  kind 
in  your  request  and  if  there  were,  you  would  not  so 
allude  to  it.  "Kindly"  in  this  case  belongs  to 
"send,"  as  "We  request  that  you  will  kindly  send 
your  subscription." 

The  word  "kind"  to  describe  a  business  letter — 
as  "your  kind  favor" — is  obviously  misapplied. 
There  is  no  element  of  "kindness"  on  either  side  of 
an  ordinary  business  transaction. 

The  months  are  no  longer  alluded  to  as  "inst.," 
"ult.,"  or  "prox."  [abbreviations  of  the  Latin  "in- 
stant" (present),  "ultimo"  (past),  and  "proximo" 
(next)]  as  "Yours  of  the  10th  inst."  Call  the  months 
by  name,  as  "I  have  your  letter  of  10th  May." 

"Contents  carefully  noted"  is  superfluous  and  its 
impression  on  the  reader  is  a  blank. 

"I  enclose  herewith."  "Herewith"  in  this  sense 
means  in  the  envelope.  This  fact  is  already  ex- 
pressed in  the  word  "enclose." 

Avoid  abbreviations  of  ordinary  words  in  the  body 
or  the  closing  of  a  letter,  as  "Resp.  Yrs."  instead  of 
"Respectfully  yours." 

The  word  "Company"  should  not  be  abbreviated 
unless  the  symbol  "&"  is  used.  But  the  safest  plan 
in  writing  to  a  company  is  to  write  the  name  ex- 
actly as  they  write  it  themselves  or  as  it  appears  on 
their  letterheads. 

Names  of  months  and  names  of  states  may  be 
abbreviated  in  the  heading  of  the  letter  but  not  in 


^yYormer7i',Jaci 


▼MC    BAWTIMOWC    AND   OMio    ItAruAOAO   COMPANY' 

or^cc  or  txc  pwcsiocnt. 
■Au'nMonc.  MO. 


"BSS' 
CasKX 


THE  VORLOS  VOWC 


(S 


Collier's 

rag  •NATioNAvwrexrr 

W9T^Zi^%.  »  ten  cowyAxy. 


As  to  the  use  of  the  symbol  "&"  and  the  abbreviation  of  the  word  "com- 
pany," the  safest  plan  in  wTiting  to  a  company  is  to  spell  its  name  exactly  as 
it  appears  on  its  letterhead 


WHAT  TO  AVOID  43 

the  body.  But  it  is  better  form  not  to  do  so.  Names 
of  states  should  never  be  abbreviated  on  the  en- 
velope. For  instance,  "California"  and  "Colorado," 
if  written  "Cal."and  "Col.,"  may  easily  be  mistaken 
for  each  other. 

The  participial  closing  of  a  letter,  that  is,  ending  a 
letter  with  a  participial  phrase,  weakens  the  entire 
effect  of  the  letter.  This  is  particularly  true  of  a 
business  letter.  Close  with  a  clear-cut  idea.  The 
following  endings  will  illustrate  the  ineffective 
participle: 

Hoping  to  hear  from  you  on  this  matter  by  return  mail. 

Assuring  you  of  our  wish  to  be  of  service  to  you  in  the  future. 

Thanking  you  for  your  order  and  hoping  we  shall  be  able  to 
please  you. 

Trusting  that  you  will  start  an  investigation  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. 

More  effective  endings  would  be: 

Please  send  a  remittance  by  return  omil. 

If  we  can  be  of  use  to  you  in  the  future,  will  you  let  us  know? 

We  thank  you  for  your  order  and  hope  we  shall  fill  it  to  your 

satisfaction. 
Please  investigate  the  delay  at  once. 

The  participial  ending  is  merely  a  sort  of  habit.  A 
letter  used  to  be  considered  lacking  in  ease  if  it  ended 
with  an  emphatic  sentence  or  ended  with  something 
that  had  really  to  do  with  the  subject  of  the  letter. 

It  might  be  well  in  concluding  a  letter,  as  in  a 
personal  leavetaking,  to  "Stand  not  on  the  order  of 
your  going."     Good-byes  should  be  short. 


CHAPTER  V 

PERSONAL  LETTERS— SOCIAL  AND 
FRIENDLY 

Invitations  and  Acknowledgments 
General  Directions 

The  format  of  an  invitation  is  not  so  important 
as  its  taste.  Some  of  the  more  formal  sorts  of  invita- 
tions— as  to  weddings — have  become  rather  fixed, 
and  the  set  wordings  are  carried  through  regardless 
of  the  means  at  hand  for  proper  presentation.  For 
instance,  one  often  sees  a  wedding  invitation  in  im^ 
peccable  form  but  badly  printed  on  cheap  paper. 
It  would  be  far  better,  if  it  is  impossible  to  get  good 
engraving  or  if  first-class  work  proves  to  be  too 
expensive,  to  buy  good  white  notepaper  and  write 
the  invitations.  A  typewriter  is,  of  course,  out  of 
the  question  either  for  sending  or  answering  any  sort 
of  social  invitation.  Probably  some  time  in  the 
future  the  typewriter  will  be  used,  but  at  present  it  is 
associated  with  business  correspondence  and  is 
supposed  to  lack  the  implied  leisure  of  hand  writing. 

The  forms  of  many  invitations,  as  I  have  said,  are 
fairly  fixed.  But  they  are  not  hallowed.  One  may 
vary  them  within  the  limits  of  good  taste,  but  on  the 

44 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  45 

whole  it  is  considerably  easier  to  cccept  tlie  forms 
in  use  and  not  try  to  be  different.  If  the  function 
itself  is  going  to  be  very  different  from  usual  then 
the  invitation  itself  may  be  as  freakish  as  one  likes — 
it  may  be  written  or  printed  on  anything  from  a 
postcard  to  a  paper  bag.  The  sole  question  is  one 
of  appropriateness.  But  there  is  a  distinct  danger 
in  trying  to  be  ever  so  unconventional  and  all  that. 
One  is  more  apt  than  not  to  make  a  fool  of  one's  self. 
And  then,  too,  being  always  clever  is  dreadfully  hard 
on  the  innocent  by-standers.  Here  are  things  to  be 
avoided : 

Do  not  have  an  invitation  printed  or  badly  en- 
graved.    Kand  writing  is  better  than  bad  me- 
chanical work. 
Do  not  use  colored  or  fancy  papers. 
Do  not  use  single  sheets. 
Do  not  use  a  very  large  or  a  very  small  sheet — 

either  is  inappropriate. 
Do  not  have  a  formal  phraseology  for  an  informal 

affair. 
Do    not    abbreviate    anything — initials    may    be 
used  in  informal  invitations  and  acceptances, 
but,  in  the  formal,  "H.  E.  Jones"  invariably  has 
to  become  "Horatio  Etherington  Jones." 
Do  not  send  an  answer  to  a  formal  invitation  in  the 

first  person. 
A  formal  invitation  is  written  in  the  third  person 

and  must  be  so  answered. 
Do  not  use  visiting  cards  either  for  acceptances  or 


46  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

regrets  even  though  they  are  sometimes  used  foi 
invitations.     The  practice  of   sending  a   card 
with  "Accepts"  or  "Regrets"  written  on  it  is 
discourteous. 
Do  not  seek  to  be  decorative  in  handwriting — ^the 

flourishing  Spencerian  is  impossible. 
Do  not  overdo  either  the  f ormaUty  or  the  informal- 
ity. 
Do  not  use  "R.S.V.P."  (the  initials  of  the  French 
words    "Repondez,    s'il   vous    plait,"  meaning 
"Answer,  if  you  please")  unless  the  information 
is  really  necessary  for  the  making  of  arrange- 
ments.    It  ought  to  be  presumed  that  those 
whom  you  take  the  trouble  to  invite  will  have  the 
sense  and  the  courtesy  to  answer. 
In  sending  an  evening  invitation  where  there  are 
husband  and  wife,  both  must  be  included,  unless,  of 
course,  the  occasion  is  "stag."     If  the  invitation  is 
to  be  extended  to  a  daughter,  then  her  name  is  in- 
cluded in  the  invitation.     In  the  case  of  more  than 
one  daughter,  they  will  receive  a  separate  invitation 
addressed    to    "The    Misses    Smith."     Each    male 
member  of  the  family  other  than  husband  should 
receive  a  separately  mailed  invitation. 

An  invitation,  even  the  most  informal,  should 
always  be  acknowledged  within  a  week  of  its  receipt. 
It  is  the  height  of  discourtesy  to  leave  the  hostess  in 
doubt  either  through  a  tardy  answer  or  through  the 
undecided  character  of  your  reply.  The  acknowledg- 
ment must  state  definitely  whether  or  not  you  accept. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  47 

The  acknowledgment  of  an  invitation  sent  to 
husband  and  wife  must  include  both  names  but  is 
answered  by  the  wife  only.  The  name  of  a  daughter 
also  must  appear  if  it  appears  in  the  invitation.  If 
IVIr.  and  IMrs.  Smith  receive  an  invitation  from  Mr. 
and  INIrs.  Jones,  their  acknowledgment  must  include 
the  names  of  both  Mr.  and  IVIrs.  Jones,  but  the 
envelope  should  be  addressed  to  Mrs.  Jones  only. 

FOBSIAL  INVITATIONS 

Wedding  invitations  should  be  sent  about  three 
weeks — certainly  not  later  than  fifteen  days — before 
the  wedding.  Two  envelopes  should  be  used,  the 
name  and  address  appearing  on  the  outside  envelope, 
but  only  the  name  on  the  inside  one.  The  following 
are  correct  for  formal  invitations: 

For  a  church  wedding 

(A) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 
Request  the  Honour  of 

(Name  written  in) 

Presence  at  the  Marriage  of  Their  Daughter 

Dorothy 

and 

Mr.  Philip  Brewster 

On  the  Evening  of  Monday,  the  Eighth  of  June 

at  Six  o'clock 

At  The  Church  of  the  Heavenly  Rest 

Fifth  Avenue,  Ncio  York  City 


41  tie  ■«m«g«i>r  JKi>(twj^W 

W 

a*\C'>!wKL^.iW  llirtetoil  oTJyly 

lowVn  Cot  liWoil  Siccl 

«i 

OS  Vbhu^a^ !(,»  hsrafUtIr  of  AprtI 

U  niiu  a'rfatk  fat  (I|«  tsxmito 
Crufriutrtt  ,llteUio»l«i  <5^utt^ 

Specimens  of  formal  wedding  invitations 
48 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  49 

(B) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Honour  of  Yoin-  Presence  at 

The  Marriage  of  Their  Daughter 

Dorothy 

and 

Mr.  Philip  Brewster 

On  Monday,  June  the  Eighth 

At  Six  o'clock 

At  the  Church  of  the  Heavenly  Rest 

Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 

For  a  home  wedding 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 
Request  tlie  Pleasure  of 

(Name  written  in) 

Company  at  the  Marriage  of  Their  Daughter 

Dorothy 

and 

Mr.  Philip  Brewster 

On  Wednesday,  June  the  Tenth 

At  Twelve  o'Clock 

Five  Hundred  Park  Avenvs 

Or  either  of  the  forms  A  and  B  for  a  church  wed- 
ding may  be  used.  "Honour  of  your  presence"  is 
more  formal  than  "pleasure  of  your  company"  and 
hence  is  more  appropriate  for  a  church  wedding. 

It  is  presumed  that  an  invitation  to  a  home  wed- 
ding includes  the  wedding  breakfast  or  reception. 


50  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

but  an  invitation  to  a  church  wedding  does  not.  A 
card  inviting  to  the  wedding  breakfast  or  reception 
is  enclosed  with  the  wedding  invitation.  Good 
forms  are: 

For  a  wedding  breakfast  ^ 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 
Request  the  Pleasure  of 

(Name  written  in) 

At  Breakfast  on  Tuesday,  June  the  Fourth 
at  Twelve  o'clock 
500  Park  Avenue 

For  a  wedding  reception' 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Pleasure  of  Your  Company 

At  the  Wedding  Reception  of  Their  Daughter 

Dorothy 

and 

Mr.  Philip  Brewster 

On  Monday  Afternoon,  June  the  Third 

At  Four  o'clock 

Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue 

For  a  second  marriage 

The  forms  followed  in  a  second  marriage — either 
Df  a  widow  or  a  divorcee — are  quite  the  same  as 
above.  The  divorcee  uses  whatever  name  she  has 
taken  after  the  divorce — the  name  of  her  ex-husbancf 


'via/i/atti'-  • 


/an«^ 


%/ftK 


s.  Specimens  of  formal  invitations  to  a  wedding  reception 
Si 


52  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

or  her  maiden  name  if  she  has  resumed  it.  The 
widow  sometimes  uses  simply  Mrs.  Philip  Brewster 
or  a  combination,  as  IVIrs.  Dorothy  Evans  Brewster. 
The  invitations  are  issued  in  the  name  of  the  nearest 
relative — the  parent  or  parents,  of  course,  if  living. 
The  forms  are: 


(A) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Honour  of  Your  Presence 

At  the  Marriage  of  Tlieir  Daughter 

Dorothy 

{Mrs.  Philip  Brewster) 

to 

Mr.  Leonard  Duncan 

On  Thursday,  April  the  Third 

At  Six  o'clock 

Trinity  Chapel 

(B) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Honour  of  Your  Presence 

At  the  Marriage  of  Their  Daughter 

Mrs.  Dorothy  Evans  Brewster 

to 

Mr.  Leonard  Duncan 

On  Thursday,  April  the  Third 

At  Six  o'clock 

Trinity  Chapel 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  5S 

If  there  are  no  near  relatives,  the  form  may  be: 

(C) 

The  Honour  of  Your  Presence  is  Requested 

At  the  Marriage  of 

Mrs.  Dorothy  Evans  Brewster 

and 

Mr.  Leonard  Duncan 

On  Thursday,  April  the  Third 

At  Six  o'clock 

Trinity  Chapel 

In  formal  invitations  "honour"  is  spelled  with  a 
**u." 

Recalling  an  Invitation 

The  wedding  may  have  to  be  postponed  or  solem- 
nized privately,  owing  to  illness  or  death,  or  it  may  be 
put  off  altogether.  In  such  an  event  the  invitations 
will  have  to  be  recalled.  The  card  recalling  may  or 
may  not  give  a  reason,  according  to  circumstances. 
The  cards  should  be  engraved  if  time  permits,  but 
they  may  have  to  be  written. 

Convenient  forms  are: 


(A) 


Owing  to  the  Death  of  Mr, 

Philip  Brewster's  Mother, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans  beg  to 

Recall  the  Invitations  for 
Their  Daughter's  Wedding  on 

Monday,  June  the  Eighth. 


Jttam 

•Bsosno  iVt»  (Banna* 
OS  tt^mnks^  1^  aiid^  H  Job 


Mit.    . 

o»  WtsnaBA  rat  ri»«T  or  Jim 

CvuKaamo  Wmt  VuiMa» 


^' 


.ihMMaA«M 


/2 


,  tfiffi^ii  u  f<fi  ji^i^i 


Specimens  of  wedding  announcements 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  55 

(B) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans  beg  to  Recall 

The  Invitatio7is  for  the  Marriage  of 

Their  Daughter,  Dorothy,  and  Mr.  Philip  ' 

Brewster,  on  Monday,  June  the  Eighth 

Wedding  announcements 

If  a  wedding  is  private,  no  formal  invitations  are 
sent  out;  they  are  unnecessary,  for  only  a  few  relatives 
or  intimate  friends  wiU  be  present  and  they  will  be 
asked  by  word  of  mouth  or  by  a  friendly  note.  The 
wedding  may  be  formally  announced  by  cards  mailed 
on  the  day  of  the  wedding.  The  announcement  will 
be  made  by  whoever  would  have  sent  out  wedding 
invitations — by  parents,  a  near  relative,  or  by  the 
bride  and  groom,  according  to  circumstances.  The 
custom  with  the  bride's  name  in  the  case  of  a  widow 
or  divorcee  follows  that  of  wedding  invitations.  An 
engraved  announcement  is  not  acknowledged  (al- 
though a  letter  of  congratulations — seepage  101 — may 
often  be  sent).  A  card  is  sent  to  the  bride's  parents 
or  whoever  has  sent  the  announcements.  The  an- 
nouncement may  be  in  the  following  form: 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Announce  the  Marriage  of  TJieir  Daughter 

Dorothy 

to 

Mr,  Philip  Brewster 

On  Monday,  June  the  Tenth 

One  Thousand  Nineteen  Hundred  and  Tweniy-Two 


56  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Replying  to  the  invitation 

The  acceptance  or  the  declination  of  a  formal 
invitation  is  necessarily  formal  but  naturally  has  to 
be  written  by  hand.  It  is  better  to  use  double  note- 
paper  than  a  correspondence  card  and  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  give  a  reason  for  being  unable  to  be  present — 
although  one  may  be  given.  It  is  impolite  to  ac- 
cept or  regret  only  a  day  or  two  before  the  function — 
the  letter  should  be  written  as  soon  as  possible  after 
the  receipt  of  the  invitation.  The  letter  may  be 
indented  as  is  the  engraved  invitation,  but  this  is  not 
at  all  necessary.     The  forms  are: 

Accepting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frothingham  Smith 

accept  with  pleasure 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's 

kind  invitation  to  be  present 

at  the  marriage  of  their  daughter 

Dorothy 

and 

Mr.  Philip  Brewster 

on  Monday,  June  the  twelfth 

at  twelve  o'clock 

(and  afterward  at  the  wedding  breakfast) 

Or  it  may  be  written  out : 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frothingham  Smith  accept  with  pleasure 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's  kind  invitation  to  be  present  at 
the  marriage  of  their  daughter  Dorothy  and  Mr.  Philip 
Brewster  on  JMonday,  June  the  twelfth  at  twelve  o'clock 
(and  afterward  at  the  wedding  breakfast). 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  57 

Regretting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frothingham  Smith 

regret  exceedingly  that  they 

are  unable  to  accept 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's 

kind  invitation  to  be  present 

at  the  marriage  of  their  daughter 

Dorothy 

and 

Mr.  Philip  Brewster 

on  Monday,  June  the  twelfth 

(and  afterward  at  the  wedding  breakfast) 

Or  this  also  may  be  written  out.  The  portion  in 
parentheses  will  be  omitted  if  one  has  not  been  asked 
to  the  wedding  breakfast  or  reception. 

For  the  formal  dinner 

Formal  dinner  invitations  are  usually  engraved, 
as  in  the  following  example.  In  case  they  are  writ- 
ten, they  may  follow  the  same  form  or  the  letter  form. 
If  addressed  paper  is  used  the  address  is  omitted 
from  the  end.  The  acknowledgment  should  follow 
the  wording  of  the  invitation. 

(A) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Pleasure  of 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trent's 

Company  at  Dinner 

On   Thursday,  October  the  First 

at  Seven  o'clock 

and  Afterward  for  the  Play  (or  Opera,  etc.) 

500  Park  Avenue 


68  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

(B) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Pleasure  of 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Trent's 

Company  for  Dinner  and  Opera 

on  Thursday,  October  the  First 

at  Seven  o'Clock 


Accepting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Trent 
accept  with  much  pleasure 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's 

kind  invitation  for  dinner 

on  Thursday,  October  the  first, 

at  seven  o'clock 

and  afterward  for  the  opera 

788  East  Forty-Sixth  Street 


Regretting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Trent 
regret  that  they  are 

unable  to  accept 

the  kind  invitation  of 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans 

for  dinner  and  opera 

on  Thursday,  October  the  first, 

owing  to  a  previous  engagement. 

788  East  Forty-Sixth  Street 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  59 

For  a  dinner  not  at  home 

Mr,  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Pleasure  of 

Mrs.  and  Miss  Pearson's 

Company  at  Dinner 

At  Sherry's 

on  Friday,  March  the  Thirtieth 

At  Quarter  Past  Seven  o'Clock 

500  Park  Avenue 

Accepting 

Mrs.  Richard  Pearson  and  Miss  Pearson 

accept  with  much  pleasure 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's 

very  kind  invitation  for  dinner 

at  Sherry's 
on  Friday,  March  the  thirtieth 
at  quarter  past  seven  o'clock 
640  West  Seventy -Second  Street 

Regrettifig 

Mrs.  Richard  Pearson  and  Miss  Pearson 

regret  exceedingly  that  they 

are  unable  to  accept 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's 

very  kind  invitation  for  dinner 

at  Sherry's 

on  Friday,  March  the  thirtieth 

owing  to  a  previous  engagement  to 

dine  with  Mr.  and  Mrs  Spencer 

640  West  Seventy-Second  Street 


'■'ffrM7t4t^Cy4. 


Mr.  and  Mrs. 

■  nvifr  uou  to  dinr  with  tbcai 

ut  \hc  Philadelphia  Counfru  Club 

on  fbr  CTvainq  ofTbumdaii  the  ni-cond  of  November 

<if  buif  tiUrt  ciqht  o'rlock 

U  •  V  p. 
nnrinf|  III  tVIhiim  Kao4 


Specimens  of  formal  dimier  invitations 


60 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  61 

Or  the  reply  may  follow  the  letter  form; 

Accepting 

640  West  Seventy-Second  Street, 
March  16,  1920. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard  Pearson  accept  with  pleasure 
Mrs.  John  Evans's  kind  invitation  for  Friday  evening, 
March  the  thirtieth. 

Regretting 

640  West  Seventy-Second  Street 
March  16,  1920. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richard  Pearson  regret  sincerely  their 
inability  to  accept  Mrs.  John  Evans's  kind  invitation 
for  Friday  evening,  March  the  thirtieth. 

These  acknowledgments,  being  formal,  are  written 
in  the  third  person  and  must  be  sent  within  twenty- 
four  hours. 

Dinner  **io  meet" 

If  the  dinner  or  luncheon  is  given  to  meet  a  person 
of  importance  or  a  friend  from  out  of  town,  the  pur- 
pose should  appear  in  the  body  of  the  invitation, 
thus: 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  Pleasure  of 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  TrenVs 

Company  at  Dinner 

on  Thursday^  November  the  Ninth 

at  Eight  o'Clock 

to  Meet  Mr.  William  H.  Allen 


est  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

To  a  formal  luncheon 

Mrs.  John  Evans 
Requests  tlie  Pleasure  of 

Miss  Blake's 

Company  at  Luncheon 

To  meet  Miss  Grace  Flint 

on  Tuesday,  March  the  Fourth 

at  One  o'Clock 
and  Afterward  to  tlie  Matinee 
500  ParJc  Avenue 

Accepting 

Miss  Blake 

^  accepts  with  pleasure 

Mrs.  Evans's 

very  kind  invitation  for  luncheon 

on  Tuesday,  March  the  fourth 

at  one  o'clock 
to  meet  Miss  Flint  and  to  go 
afterward  to  the  matinee 
232  West  Thirty-First  Street 

Regretting 

Miss  Blake 

regrets  that  a  previous  engagement 

prevents  her  from  accepting 

Mrs.  Evans's 

very  kind  invitation  for  luncheon 

on  Tuesday,  March  the  fourth 

at  one  o'clock 

to  meet  Miss  Flint 

and  to  go  afterward  to  the  matinee 

232  West  Thirty-First  Street 


^Mimtja 


Specimens  of  formal  invitations  "to  meet*^ 


68 


64  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

For  the  reception 

Afternoon  receptions  and  "At  Homes"  for  which 
engraved  invitations  are  sent  out  are  practically  the 
same  as  formal  **teas.'* 

An  invitation  is  engraved  as  follows: 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 
At  Home 
Wednesday  Afternoon,  September  Fourth 
from  Four  until  Half-Past  Seven  o'clock 
Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue 

These  cards  are  sent  out  by  mail  in  a  single  en- 
veIoi)e  about  two  weeks  or  ten  days  before  the  event. 

The  recipient  of  such  a  card  is  not  required  to  send 
either  a  written  acceptance  or  regret.  One  accepts 
by  attending  the  "At  Home.'*  If  one  does  not  ac- 
cept, the  visiting  card  should  be  sent  by  mail  so 
that  it  will  reach  the  hostess  on  the  day  of  the  recep- 
tion. 

Where  an  answer  is  explicitly  required,  then  the 
reply  may  be  as  follows : 

Accepting 

Mrs.  John  Evans 

accepts  with  pleasure 

Mrs.  Emerson's 

kind  invitation  for  Wednesday  afternoon 

November  the  twenty-eighth 


PERSONAL  LETTERS 

Regretting 

Mrs.  John  Evans 

regrets  that  she  is  unable  to  accept 

Mrs.  Emerson's 

kind  invitation  for  Wednesday  afternoon 

November  the  twenty-eighth 

Mrs.  John  Evans 

regrets  that  she  is 

unable  to  be  present  at 

Mrs.  Emerson's 

At  home  on  Wednesday  afternoon 

November  the  twenty -eighth 

Reception  *Ho  meeV* 

(A) 

Mrs.  Bruce  Wellington 

Requests  the  Pleasure  oj 

Mrs.  Evans's 

Presence  on  Thursday  Afternoon,  April  Fifth 

to  Meet  the  Board  of  Governors 

of  the 

Door- of -Hope  Society 

from  Four-Thirty  to  Seven  o' Clock 

Accepting 

Mrs.  John  Evans 
accepts  with  pleasure 
Mrs.  Wellington's 
kind  invitation  to  meet 
The  Board  of  Governors 

of  the 
Door-of-Hope  Society 
On  Thursday  afternoon,  April  fifth 


I 


ee  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Regretting: 

Mrs.  John  Evans 

regrets  that  a  previous  engagement 

prevents  her  from  accepting 

Mrs.  Wellington's 

kind  invitation  to  meet 

The  Board  of  Governors  of  the  Door-of-Hope  Society 

On  Thursday  afternoon,  April  fifth 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

Request  the  PleoMire  of  Your  Company 

to  Meet 

General  and  Mrs.  Robert  E.  Lee 

on  Thursday  Afternoon,  February  Fourth 

from  Four  until  Seven  o'clock 

Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue 

If  one  accepts  this  invitation,  one  acknowledges 
simply  by  attending.  If  one  is  unable  to  attend,  then 
the  visiting  card  is  mailed.  If  unforeseen  circum- 
stances should  prevent  attending,  then  a  messenger 
is  sent  with  a  card  in  an  envelope  to  the  hostess,  to 
reach  her  during  the  reception. 

Invitations  for  afternoon  affairs 

For  afternoon  affairs — at  homes,  teas,  garden 
parties — the  invitations  are  sent  out  in  the  name  of 
the  hostess  alone,  or  if  there  be  a  daughter,  or  daugh- 
ters, in  society,  their  names  will  appear  immediately 
below  the  name  of  the  hostess. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  67 

Mrs.  John  Evans 

The  Misses  Evans 

At  Home 

Thursday  Afternoon^  January  Eleventh 

from  Four  until  Seven  o'clock 

Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue 

If  the  purpose  of  the  reception  is  to  introduce  a 
daughter,  her  name  would  appear  immediately  below 
that  of  the  hostess,  as  "Miss  Evans,"  without  Chris- 
tian name  or  initial.  If  a  second  daughter  is  to  be 
introduced  at  the  tea,  her  name  in  full  is  added 
beneath  that  of  the  hostess: 

Mrs.  John  Evans 

Miss  Ruth  Evans 

Miss  Evans 

At  Home 

Friday  Afternoon,  January  Twentieth 

from  Four  until  Seven  o^Clock 

Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue 

For  balls  and  dances 

The  word  "ball"  is  used  for  an  assembly  or  a 
charity  dance,  never  otherwise.  An  invitation  to  a 
private  house  bears  "Dancing"  or  "Cotillion"  in 
one  corner  of  the  card.  This  ball  or  formal  dance 
invitation  is  engraved  on  a  white  card,  sometimes 
with  a  blank  space  so  that  the  guest's  name  may  be 
written  in  by  the  hostess.    It  would  read  thus: 


%lr  nnris.  (frit. 


)%yf^:  xttza  .^tnf. 
Specimens  of  formal  invitations  to  a  dance 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  69 

(A) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Elliott 

Request  the  Pleasure  of 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Evans's 

Company  at  a  Cotillion 

to  Be  Held  at  the  Hotel  Ritz-Carlton 

on  Saturday t  December  the  Third 

at  Ten  o'Clock 

Please  Address  Reply  to 

347  Madison  Avenue 


(B) 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Elliott 
Request  the  Pleasure  of 


Company  on  Saturday  Evening 

January  the  Sixth,  at  Ten  o'Clock 

Dancing  S^7  Madison  Avenue 

An  older  style  of  invitation — without  the  blank  for 
the  written  name,  but  instead  the  word  "your" 
engraved  upon  the  card — is  in  perfectly  good  form. 
The  invitation  would  be  like  this: 

(C) 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Elliott 

Request  the  Pleasure  of  Your  Company 

on  Saturday  Evening,  January  the  Sixth 

at  Ten  o'Clock 

Dancing  Sk7  Madison  Avenue 


70  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Accenting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

accept  with  pleasure 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elliott's 

very  kind  invitation  to  a  cotillion . 

to  be  held  at  the  Hotel  Ritz-Carltoa 

On  Saturday,  December  the  third 

at  ten  o'clock 

Regretting  < 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Evans 

regret  exceedingly  that  they 

are  unable  to  accept 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Elliott's 

kind  invitation  to  attend  a  dance 

on  Saturday,  January  the  sixth 

In  sending  a  regret  the  hour  is  omitted,  as,  since  the 
recipient  will  not  be  present,  the  time  is  miimportant. 

(D) 

The  Honour  of  Your  Presence 

Is  Requested  at  the  Lincoln's  Birthday  Eve  BaU 

of  tJie  Dark  Hollow  Country  Club 

on  Monday  Evening^  February  Eleventh 

at  Half -Past  Ten  o'Clock 

1922 

Accepting 

Miss  Evans  accepts  with  pleasure 
the  kind  invitation  of  the  Dark  Hollow  Country  Club 
for  Monday  evening,  February  eleventh 
at  half-past  ten  o'clock 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  71 

For  christenings 

Christenings  are  sometimes  made  formal.  In  such 
case  engraved  cards  are  sent  out  two  or  three  weeks 
ahead.    A  good  form  is: 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Philip  Brewster 

Request  the  Pleasure  of  Your  Company 

at  the  Christening  of  Their  Son 

,  071  Sunday  Afternoon,  April  Seventeenth 

At  Three  o'clock 

at  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer 

Accepting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Elliott 

accept  with  pleasure 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brewster's 

kind  invitation  to  attend 

the  christening  of  their  son 

on  Sunday  afternoon,  April  seventeenth 

.  at  three  o'clock 

A  reason  for  not  accepting  may  or  may  not  be 
given — ^it  is  better  to  put  in  a  reason  if  you  have  one. 

Regretting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  Elliott 

regret  that  a  previous  engagement 

prevents  their  accepting 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brewster's 

kind  invitation  to  the  christening  of  their  son 

on  Sunday  afternoon,  April  seventeenth 


72  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

INFORRIAIi  INVITATIONS 

For  a  wedding 

An  engraved  invitation  always  implies  a  somewhat 
large  or  elaborate  formal  function.  An  informal 
affair  requires  simply  a  written  invitation  in  the  first 
person. 

The  informal  wedding  is  one  to  which  are  invited 
only  the  immediate  family  and  intimate  friends. 
The  reason  may  be  simply  the  desire  for  a  small,  quiet 
affair  or  it  may  be  a  recent  bereavement.  The  bride- 
to-be  generally  writes  these  invitations.  The  form 
may  be  something  like  this: 

(A) 

June  2, 1922. 
Dear  Mrs.  Smith, 

On  Wednesday,  June  the  twelfth,  at  three  o'clock  Mr.  Brewster 
and  I  are  to  be  married.  The  ceremony  will  be  at  home  and  we 
are  asking  only  a  few  close  friends.  I  hope  that  you  and  Mr. 
Smith  will  be  able  to  come. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Dorothy  Evans. 

(B) 

June  16, 1922. 
Dear  Mary, 

Owing  to  the  recent  death  of  my  sister,  Mr.  Brewster  and  I  are 
to  be  married  quietly  at  home.  The  wedding  will  be  on  Wednes- 
day, June  the  twentieth,  at  eleven  o'clock.  We  are  asking  only 
a  few  intimate  friends  and  I  shall  be  so  glad  if  you  wUl  come. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Dorothy  Evans. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  73 

Accepting 

June  7, 1922. 
Dear  Dorothy, 

We  shall  be  delighted  to  attend  your  wedding  on  Wednesday, 
June  the  twelfth,  at  three  o'clock. 

We  wish  you  and  Mx.  Brewster  every  happiness. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Helen  Gray  Smith. 

Regretting 

June  4, 1922. 
Dear  Dorothy, 

I  am  so  sorry  that  I  shall  be  unable  to  attend  your  wedding, 
^rhe  "Adriatic"  is  sailing  on  the  tenth  and  Father  and  I  have 
engaged  passage. 

Let  me  wish  you  and  Mr.  Brewster  every  happiness. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Mary  Lyman. 

For  dinners  and  luncheons 

An  informal  invitation  to  dinner  is  sent  by  the 
wife,  for  her  husband  and  herself,  to  the  wife.  This 
invitation  must  include  the  latter's  husband.  It  is 
simply  a  friendly  note.  The  wife  signs  her  Christian 
name,  her  maiden  name  (or  more  usually  the  initial 
of  her  maiden  name),  and  her  married  name. 

Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue, 
December  5th,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Trent, 

Will  you  and  Mr.  Trent  give  us  the  pleasure  of  your  company 
at  a  small  dinner  on  Tuesday,  December  the  twelfth,  at  seven 
o'clock? 


74  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

I  hope  you  will  not  be  otherwise  engaged  on  that  evening  as 
we  are  looking  forward  to  seeing  you. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Katherine  G.  Evans. 


To  cancel  an  informal  dinner  invitation 

My  dear  Mrs.  Trent, 

On  account  of  the  sudden  death  of  my  brother,  I  regret  to  be 
obliged  to  recall  the  invitation  for  our  dinner  on  Tuesday,  Decem- 
ber the  twelfth. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 
December  8, 1922. 

Accepting  • 

788  East  Forty-Sixth  Street, 
December  7th,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

Mr.  Trent  and  I  will  be  very  glad  to  dine  with  you  on  Tuesday, 
December  the  twelfth,  at  seven  o'clock. 
With  kind  regards,  I  am 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Charlotte  B.  Trent 

Regretting 

788  East  Forty-Sixth  Street, 
December  7th,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

We  regret  deeply  that  we  cannot  accept  your  kind  invitation 
to  dine  with  you  on  Tuesday,  December  the  twelfth.    Mr.  Trent 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  175 

and  I,  unfortunately,  have  a  previous  engagement  for  that 
evening. 

With  cordial  regards,  I  am 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Charlotte  B.  Trent. 

The  daughter  as  hostess 

WTien  a  daughter  must  act  as  hostess  in  her  father's 
home,  she  includes  his  name  in  every  dinner  invita- 
tion she  issues,  as  in  the  following: 

340  Madison  Avenue, 

January  2, 1921. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

Father  wishes  me  to  ask  whether  you  and  Mr.  Evans  will  give 
us  the  pleasxire  of  dining  with  us  on  Wednesday,  January  the 
fifteenth,  at  quarter  past  seven  o'clock.  We  do  hope  you  can 
come. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Edith  Haines. 

The  answer  to  this  invitation  of  a  daughter-hostess 
must  be  sent  to  the  daughter,  not  to  the  father. 

Acce'pting 

My  dear  Miss  Haines, 

We  shall  be  delighted  to  accept  your  father's  kind  invitation 
to  dine  with  you  on  Wednesday,  January  the  fifteenth,  at  quarter 
past  seven  o'clock. 

With  most  cordial  wishes,  I  am 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Katherine  G.  Evans. 
January  5, 1922 


76  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Regretting 

My  dear  Miss  Haines, 

We  regret  exceedingly  that  we  cannot  accept  your  father's 
kind  invitation  to  dine  with  you  on  Wednesday,  January  the 
fifteenth.  A  previous  engagement  of  Mr.  Evans'  prevents  it. 
Will  you  convey  to  him  our  thanks? 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 
January  5,  1922, 


Adding  additional  details 

The  invitation  to  an  informal  dinner  may  neces- 
sarily include  some  additional  details.  For  ex- 
ample: 


Five  Hundred  Park  Avenue, 

September  16,  1920. 
My  dear  Mr.  Allen, 

Mr.  Evans  and  I  have  just  returned  from  Canada  and  we  hear 
that  you  are  in  New  York  for  a  short  visit.  We  should  like  to 
have  you  take  dinner  with  us  on  Friday,  the  twentieth,  at  half- 
past  seven  o'clock,  if  your  time  will  permit.  We  hope  you  can 
arrange  to  come  as  there  are  many  things  back  home  in  old 
Sharon  that  we  are  anxious  to  hear  about. 

'^  Yours  very  sincerely, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 
Mr.  Roger  Allen 
Hotel  Gotham 
New  York 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  77 

Accepting 

Hotel  Gotham, 
September  17,  1920. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

I  shall  be  very  glad  to  accept  your  kind  invitation  to  dinner  on 
Friday,  September  the  twentieth,  at  half-past  seven  o'clock. 

The  prosp>ect  of  seeing  you  and  Mr.  Evans  again  is  very  de- 
lightful and  I  am  sure  I  have  several  interesting  things  to  tell  you. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Roger  Allen. 
Mrs.  John  Evans 
500  Park  Avenue 
New  York 


Regretting 


Hotel  Gotham, 
September  16,  1920. 


My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

I  am  sorry  to  miss  the  pleasure  of  accepting  your  kind  invita- 
tion to  dinner  on  Friday,  September  the  twentieth. 

A  business  engagement  comp)els  me  to  leave  New  York  to- 
morrow. There  are  indeed  many  interesting  bits  of  news,  but  I 
shall  have  to  wait  for  a  chat  until  my  next  visit. 

With  kindest  regards  to  you  both,  I  am 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Roger  Allen. 
Mrs.  John  Evans 
500  Park  Avenue 
New  York 

A  last-moment  vacancy: 

A  last -moment  vacancy  may  occur  in  a  dinner 
party.    To  send  an  invitation  to  fill  such  a  vacancy 


78  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

is  a  matter  requiring  tact,  and  the  recipient  should  be 
made  to  feel  that  you  are  asking  him  to  fill  in  as  a 
special  courtesy.  Frankly  explain  the  situation  in  a 
short  note.    It  might  be  something  like  this : 

500  Park  Avenue, 

February  16, 1922. 
My  dear  Mr,  Jarrett, 

Will  you  help  me  out?  I  am  giving  a  little  dinner  party  to- 
morrow evening  and  one  of  my  guests,  Harry  Talbot,  has  just 
told  me  that  on  account  of  a  sudden  death  he  cannot  be  present. 
It  is  an  awkward  situation.  If  you  can  possibly  come,  I  shall 
be  very  grateful. 

Cordially  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 
Mr.  Harold  Jarrett 
628  Washington  Square  South 
New  York 

Accepting 

628  Washington  Square  South, 
February  16, 1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

It  is  indeed  a  fortunate  circumstance  for  me  that  Harry  Talbot 
wUl  not  be  able  to  attend  your  dinner.  Let  me  thank  you  for 
thinking  of  me  and  I  shall  be  dehghted  to  accept. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Harold  Jarrett. 

K  the  recipient  of  such  an  invitation  cannot  ac- 
cept, he  should,  in  his  acknowledgment,  give  a  good 
reason  for  declining.     It  is  more  considerate  to  do  so. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  79 

For  an  informal  luncheon 

An  informal  luncheon  invitation  is  a  short  note 
sent  about  five  to  seven  days  before  the  affair. 

600  Park  Avenue, 
April  30,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs,  Emerson, 

Will  you  come  to  luncheon  on  Friday,  May  the  fifth,  at  half- 
past  one  o'clock?  The  Misses  Irving  will  be  here  and  they  want 
so  much  to  meet  you. 

Cordially  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 

Accepting 

911  Sutton  Place, 
May  2, 1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

I  shall  be  very  glad  to  take  luncheon  with  you  on  Friday,  May 
the  fifth,  at  half-past  one  o'clock.  It  will  be  a  great  pleasure 
to  meet  the  Misses  Irving. 

With  best  wishes,  I  am 

Yours  sincerely, 

Grace  Emerson. 

Regretting 

911  Sutton  Place, 

May  2, 1922.  ^ 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

Thank  you  for  your  very  kind  invitation  to  luncheon  on  Fri- 
day, May  the  fifth,  but  I  am  compelled,  with  great  regret,  to 
decline  it. 


80  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

My  mother  and  aunt  are  sailing  for  Europ>e  on  Friday  and 
their  ship  is  scheduled  to  sail  at  one.  I  have  arranged  to  see 
them  off.    It  was  good  of  you  to  ask  me. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Grace  Emerson. 

For  an  informal  tea 

My  dear  Miss  Harcourt, 

Will  you  come  to  tea  with  me  on  Tuesday  afternoon,  April 
the  fourth,  at  four  o'clock?    I  have  asked  a  few  of  our  friends. 

Cordially  yours, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 
April  first 

Telephone  invitations  are  not  good  form  and  may 
be  used  only  for  the  most  informal  occasions. 

Invitations  to  the  theatre,  concert,  and  garden 
party,  are  mostly  informal  affairs  and  are  sent  as 
brief  letters. 

A  garden  party  is  a  sort  of  out-of-doors  at  home. 

To  a  garden  'party  which  is  not  formal  or  elaborate 

Locust  Lawn, 
June  29,  1922. 
My  dear  Miss  Burton, 

Will  you  come  to  tea  with  me  informally  on  the  lawn  on  Thurs- 
day afternoon,  July  the  fourth,  at  four  o'clock?  I  know  you  al- 
ways enjoy  tennis  and  I  have  asked  a  few  enthusiasts.  Do  try 
to  come. 

Cordially  yours, 
Ruth  L.  Anson. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  81 

Such  an  invitation  is  acknowledged  in  kind — by  an 
informal  note. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  read  a  letter  or  two  from 
distinguished  persons  along  these  lines.  Here,  for 
example,  is  the  delightfully  informal  way  in  which 
Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich  invited  his  friend  William 
H.  Rideing  to  dinner  on  one  occasion:^ 

April  6,  1882. 
Dear  Rideing: 

Will  you  come  and  take  an  informal  bite  with  me  to-morrow 
(Friday)  at  6  p.  M,  at  my  hamlet.  No.  131  Charles  Street?  Mrs. 
Aldrich  and  the  twins  are  away  from  home,  and  the  thing  is  to  be 
sans  ceremonie.  Costume  prescribed:  Sack  coat,  pajier  collar, 
and  cellidoid  sleeve  buttons.  AVe  shall  be  quite  alone,  imless 
Henry  James  should  drop  in,  as  he  promises  to  do  if  he  gets  out 
of  an  earlier  engagement. 

SuppKJse  you  drop  in  at  my  office  to-morrow  afternoon  about  5 
o'clock  and  I  act  as  pilot  to  Charles  Street. 

Yours  very  truly, 
T.  B.  Aldrich. 

And  one  from  James  Russell  Lowell  to  Henry  W. 

Longfellow:^ 

Elmwood,  May  3,  1876. 
Dear  Longfellow : 

"Will  you  dine  with  me  on  Saturday  at  six.'  I  have  a  Baltimore 
friend  coming,  and  depend  on  you. 

I  had  such  a  pleasure  yesterday  that  I  should  like  to  share  it 

iProm  "Many  Celebrities  and  a  Few  Others — A  Bundle  of  Reminis- 
cences," by  William  H.  Rideing.  CopjTight,  1912,  by  Doubleday,  Page 
&Co. 

'From  "Letters  of  James  Russell  LoweD,"  edited  by  C.  E.  Norton. 
G^yright,  1893,  by  Harper  &  Bros. 


'82  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

with  you  to  whom  I  owed  it.  J.  R.  Osgood  &  Co.  sent  me  a  copy 
of  your  Household  Edition  to  show  me  what  it  was,  as  they 
prop>ose  one  of  me.  I  had  been  reading  over  with  dismay  my 
own  poems  to  weed  out  the  misprints,  and  was  awfully  dis- 
heartened to  find  how  bad  they  (the  poems)  were.  Then  I 
took  your  book  to  see  what  the  tj'pe  was,  and  before  I  knew  k 
I  had  been  reading  two  hours  and  more.  I  never  wondered  at 
your  popularity,  nor  thought  it  wicked  in  you;  but  if  I  had  won- 
dered, I  should  no  longer,  for  you  sang  me  out  of  all  my  worries. 
To  be  sure  they  came  back  when  I  opened  my  own  book  again — 
but  that  was  no  fault  of  yours. 

If  not  Satiuxlay,  will  you  say  Sunday?  My  friend  is  a 
Mrs. ,  and  a  very  nice  person  indeed. 

Yours  always, 
J.  R.  L. 

George  Meredith  ("Robin")  accepting  an  informal 
dinner  invitation  from  his  friend,  William  Hardman 
("Tuck"):i 

Jan'y  28, 1863. 
Dear  "at  any  price"  Tuck: 

I  come.  Dinner  you  give  me  at  half -past  five,  I  presume.  A 
note  to  Foakesden,  if  earlier.  Let  us  have  5  ms.  for  a  pipe,  be- 
fore we  go.  You  know  we  are  always  better  temjiered  when  this 
is  the  case.  I  come  in  full  dress.  And  do  the  honour  to  the 
Duke's  motto.  I  saw  my  little  man  off  on  Monday,  after  ex- 
pedition over  Bank  and  Tower.  Thence  to  Pym's,  Poultry: 
oysters  consumed  by  dozings.  Thence  to  Purcell's:  great  devas- 
tation of  pastry.  Thence  to  Shoreditch,  where  Sons  calmly  said: 
"Never  mind,  Papa;  it  is  no  use  minding  it.  I  shall  soon  be  back 
to  you,"  and  so  administered  comfort  to  his  forlorn  Dad. — ^My 

'From  "The  Letters  of  George  Meredith."  CopjTight,  1912,  hg 
Charles  Scribner's  Sons.    By  permission  of  the  publisho's. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  8S 

salute  to  the  Conquered  One,  and  I  am  your  loving,  hard-druv, 
much  be-bullied 

Robin. 

To  a  theatre 

347  Madison  Avenue, 
December  8,  1919. 
My  dear  Miss  Evans, 

Mr.  Smith  and  I  are  planning  a  small  party  of  friends  to  see 
'"The  Mikado"  on  Thursday  evening,  December  the  eighteenth, 
and  we  hope  that  you  will  be  among  our  guests. 

We  have  arranged  to  meet  in  the  lobby  of  the  Garrick  Theatre 
at  quarter  after  eight  o'clock.  I  do  hope  you  have  no  other  en- 
gagement. 

Very  cordially  yours, 

Gertrude  Ellison  Smith. 

Accepting 

My  dear  Mrs.  Smith, 

I  shall  be  delighted  to  come  to  your  theatre  party  on  Thurs- 
day evening,  December  the  eighteenth.  I  shall  be  in  the  lobby 
of  the  Garrick  Theatre  at  a  quarter  past  eight  o'clock. 

It  is  so  kind  of  you  to  ask  me. 

Sincerely  yours, 
.  Ruth  Evans. 
December  12, 1919, 

Regretting 

My  dear  Mrs.  Smith, 

With  great  regret  I  must  write  that  I  shall  be  unable  to  join 
your  theatre  party  on  Thursday  evening,  December  the  eight- 


84  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

eenth.    My  two  cousins  are  visiting  me  and  we  had  planned  to 
go  to  the  HippK)drome. 
I  much  appreciate  your  thinking  of  me. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Ruth  Evans. 

For  an  informal  affair,  if  at  all  in  doubt  as  to  what 
kind  of  invitation  to  issue,  it  is  safe  to  write  a  brief 
note  in  the  first  person. 

Two  or  more  sisters  may  receive  one  invitation 
addressed  "The  IVIisses  Evans."  But  two  bachelor 
brothers  must  receive  separate  invitations.  A  whole 
family  should  never  be  included  in  one  invitation. 
It  is  decidedly  not  proper  to  address  one  envelope  to 
"Mr.  and  :Mrs.  Elliott  and  family." 

To  an  informal  dance 

Invitations  to  smaller  and  more  informal  dances 
may  be  short  notes.  Or  a  visiting  card  is  sometimes 
sent  with  a  notation  written  in  ink  below  the  hostess's 
name  and  toward  the  left,  as  shown  below: 

(A) 

Mrs.  John  Evans 
At  Home 
Dancing  at  half  after  nine  500  Park  Avenue 

January  the  eighteenth 
R.S.V.P. 

If  the  visiting  card  is  used  "R.S.V.P."  is  neces- 
sary, because  usually  invitations  on  visiting  cards  do 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  85 

not  presuppose  answers.  The  reply  to  the  above 
may  be  either  formal,  in  the  third  person,  or  may  be 
an  informal  note. 


(B) 

500  Park  Avenue, 

January  4,  1920. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Elliott, 

Will  you  and  Mr.  Elliott  give  us  the  pleasure  of  your  company 
on  Thursday,  January  the  eighteenth,  at  ten  o'clock?  We  are 
planning  an  informal  dance  and  we  should  be  so  glad  to  have 
you  with  us. 

Cordially  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 


An  acknowledgment  should  be  sent  within  a  week. 
Never  acknowledge  a  visiting-card  invitation  by  a 
visiting  card.  An  informal  note  of  acceptance  or 
regret  is  proper. 

Accepting 

347  Madison  Avenue, 
January  10,  1920. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

Both  Mr.  Elliott  and  I  shall  be  delighted  to  go  to  your  dance 
on  Thursday,  January  the  eighteenth,  at  ten  o'clock.  Thank 
you  so  much  for  asking  us. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Jane  S.  Elliott. 


86  THE  BdOK  OF  LETTERS 

Regretting 

347  Madison  Avenue, 
January  10,  1920. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

Thank  you  for  your  kind  invitation  for  Thursday,  January  the 
eighteenth;  I  am  so  sorry  that  Mr.  Elliott  and  I  shall  not  be  able 
to  accept.  Mr.  Elliott  has  been  suddenly  called  out  of  town  and 
will  not  be  back  for  two  weeks. 

With  most  cordial  regards,  I  am 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Jane  S.  Elliott. 

A  young  girl  sends  invitations  to  men  in  the  name 
of  her  mother  or  the  person  under  whose  guardianship 
she  is.  The  invitation  would  say  that  her  mother, 
or  IVIrs.  Burton,  or  whoever  it  may  be,  wishes  her  to 
extend  the  invitation. 

To  a  house-party 

An  invitation  to  a  house-party,  which  may  imply 
a  visit  of  several  days'  duration  (a  week,  ten  days,  or 
perhaps  two  weeks)  must  state  exactly  the  dates  of 
the  beginning  and  end  of  the  visit.  The  hostess's 
letter  should  mention  the  most  convenient  trains, 
indicating  them  on  a  timetable.  The  guest  at  a 
week-end  party  knows  he  is  to  arrive  on  Friday 
afternoon  or  Saturday  morning  and  leave  on  the 
following  Monday  morning.  It  is  thoughtful  for  the 
hostess  to  give  an  idea  of  the  activities  or  sf>orts 
planned.  The  letter  might  be  somewhat  in  the 
ioUowing  manner: 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  8» 

(A) 

Glory  View, 
August  1, 1922. 
Dear  Miss  Evans, 

Will  you  be  one  of  our  guests  at  a  house-party  we  are  plan- 
ning? We  shall  be  glad  if  you  can  arrange  to  come  out  to  Glory 
View  on  August  eighth  and  stay  until  the  seventeenth.  I  have 
asked  several  of  your  friends,  among  them  Mary  Elliott  and  her 
brother. 

The  swimming  is  wonderful  and  there  is  a  new  float  at  the 
Yacht  Club.  Be  sure  to  bring  your  tennis  racquet  and  also 
hiking  togs. 

I  enclose  a  timetable  with  the  best  trains  marked.  If  you 
taJce  the  4:29  on  Thursday  you  can  be  here  in  time  for  dinner. 
Let  me  know  what  train  you  expect  to  get  and  I  will  have  Jones 
meet  you. 

Most  cordially  yours, 
Myra  T.  Maxwell. 


Accepting 

500  Park  Avenue, 
August  3,  1922. 
Dear  Mrs.  Maxwell, 

Let  me  thank  you  and  Mr.  Maxwell  for  the  invitation  to  your 
house-party.    I  shall  be  very  glad  to  come. 

The  4:29  train  which  you  suggest  is  the  most  convenient. 
I  am  looking  forward  to  seeing  you  again. 

Very  smcerely  yours, 
Ruth  Evans. 


88  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

(B) 

Hawthorne  Hill, 

_,    J        .         -  January  10,  1920. 

My  dear  Anne, 

We  are  asking  some  of  Dorothy's  friends  for  this  week-end 
and  we  should  be  glad  to  have  you  join  us.  Some  of  them  you 
already  know,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  enjoy  meeting  the  others 
as  they  are  all  congenial. 

'  Mr.  Maxwell  has  just  bought  a  new  flexible  flyer  and  we 
expect  some  fine  coasting.  Be  sure  to  bring  your  skates. 
Goldfish  Pond  is  like  glass. 

The  best  afternoon  train  on  Friday  is  the  3:12,  and  the  best 
Saturday  morning  train  is  the  9:30. 
I  hope  you  can  come. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Myra  T.  Maxwell. 

A  letter  of  thanks  for  hospitality  received  at  a 
week-end  party  or  a  house-party  would  seem  to  be 
obviously  necessary.  A  cordial  note  should  be 
written  to  your  hostess  thanking  her  for  the  hospi- 
tality received  and  telling  her  of  your  safe  arrival 
home.  This  sort  of  letter  has  come  into  the  title  of 
the  "Bread-and-Butter-Letter." 

500  Park  Avenue, 

Dear  Mrs.  Maxwell, 

Having  arrived  home  safely  I  must  tell  you  how  much  I  appre- 
ciate the  thoroughly  good  time  I  had.  I  very  much  enjoyed 
meeting  your  charming  guests. 

Let  me  thank  you  and  Mr.  ^Maxwell  most  heartily,  and  with 
kindest  regards  I  am 

Sincerely  yours, 
Ruth  Evans. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  89 

To  a  christening 

Most  christenings  are  informal  affairs.     The  in- 
vitation may  run  like  this : 


September  8,  1920. 
My  dear  Mary, 

On  next  Sunday  at  three  o'clock,  at  St.  Michael's  Church,  the 
baby  will  be  christened.  Philip  and  I  should  be  pleased  to  have 
you  there. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Dorothy  Evans  Brewster. 


To  bring  a  friend 

Often  in  the  case  of  a  dance  or  an  at  home  we  may 
wish  to  bring  a  friend  who  we  think  would  be  en- 
joyed by  the  hostess.  We  might  request  her  per- 
mission thus : 


600  Riverside  Drive, 

AprU  25,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Dean, 

May  I  ask  you  the  favor  of  bringing  with  me  on  Wednesday 
evening.  May  the  second,  my  old  classmate,  Mr.  Arthur  Price? 
He  is  an  old  friend  of  mine  and  I  am  sure  you  will  like  him. 

If  this  would  not  be  entirely  agreeable  to  you,  please  do  not 
hesitate  to  let  me  know. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Herbert  Page. 


90  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

For  a  card  party 

500  Park  Avenue 
My  dear  Mrs.  King, 

Will  you  and  Mr.  King  join  us  on  Thursday  evening  next  at 
bridge?^  We  expect  to  have  several  tables,  and  we  do  hope  you 
can  be  with  us. 

Cordially  yours, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 
March  the  eighteenth 

Sometimes  the  visiting  card  is  used  with  the  date 
and  the  word  "Cards"  written  in  the  lower  comer 
as  in  the  visiting-card  invitation  to  a  dance.  This 
custom  is  more  often  used  for  the  more  elaborate  af- 
fairs. 

Miscellaneous  invitations 

The  following  are  variations  of  informal  party  and 
other  invitations: 

83  Woodlawn  Avenue, 
November  4,  1921. 
My  dear  Alice, 

I  am  having  a  little  party  on  Thursday  evening  next  and  I  want 
very  much  to  have  you  come.  K  you  wish  me  to  arrange  for 
an  escort,  let  me  know  if  you  have  any  preference. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Helen  Westley. 


'Or  whatever  the  game  may  be. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  91 

500  Park  Avenue, 
May  12,  1922. 
My  dear  Alice, 

On  Saturday  next  I  am  giving  a  small  party  for  my  niece.  Miss 
Edith  Rice  of  Albany,  and  I  should  like  very  much  to  have  her 
meet  you.    I  hope  you  can  come. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 


The  Letter  of  Condolence 

A  letter  of  condolence  may  be  written  to  relatives, 
close  friends,  and  to  those  whom  we  know  well.  When 
the  recipient  of  the  condolatory  message  is  simply 
an  acquaintance,  it  is  in  better  taste  to  send  a  visiting 
card  with  "sincere  sympathy."  Flowers  may  or 
may  not  accompany  the  card. 

But  in  any  case  the  letter  should  not  be  long,  nor 
should  it  be  crammed  with  sad  quotations  and  mushy 
sentiment.  Of  course,  at  best,  writing  a  condo- 
lence is  a  nice  problem.  Do  not  harrow  feelings  by 
too-familiar  allusions  to  the  deceased.  The  letter 
should  be  sent  immediately  upon  receiving  news  of 
death. 

When  a  card  is  received,  the  bereaved  family 
acknowledge  it  a  few  weeks  later  with  an  engraved 
acknowledgment  on  a  black-bordered  card.  A  con- 
dolatory letter  may  be  acknowledged  by  the  recipient 
or  by  a  relative  or  friend  who  wishes  to  relieve  the 
bereaved  one  of  this  task. 


92  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Formal  acknowledgment  engraved  on  card 

Mrs.  Gordon  Burroughs  and  Family 

Gratefully  acknowledge 
Your  kind  expression  of  sympathy 

The  cards,  however,  may  be  engraved  with  a  space 
for  the  name  to  be  filled  in : 


Gratefully  acknowledge 

Kind  expression  of  sympathy 

When  the  letter  of  condolence  is  sent  from  a 
distance,  it  is  acknowledged  by  a  note  from  a  mem- 
ber of  the  bereaved  family.  When  the  writer  of  the 
condolence  makes  the  customary  call  afterward,  the 
family  usually  makes  a  verbal  acknowledgment  and 
no  written  reply  is  required. 

Letters  of  condolence 
(A) 

My  dear  Mrs.  Burroughs, 

May  every  consolation  be  given  you  in  your  great  loss.  Kindly 
accept  my  deepest  sympathy. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Jane  Everett. 
October  4, 1931 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  98 

(B) 

My  dear  Mrs.  Burroughs, 

It  is  with  the  deepest  regret  that  we  leam  of  your  bereavement. 
Please  accept  our  united  and  heartfelt  sympathies. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 
October  5,  1921 

(C) 

My  dear  Eleanor, 

May  I  express  my  sympathy  for  you  In  the  loss  of  j'our  dear 
mother,  even  though  there  can  be  no  words  to  comfort  you  ?  She 
was  so  wonderful  to  all  of  us  that  we  can  share  in  some  small  part 
in  your  grief. 

With  love,  I  am 

AflFectionately  yours, 
Ruth  Evans. 
July  8,  1922 

(D) 

My  dear  Mrs.  Burroughs, 

I  am  sorely  grieved  to  leam  of  the  death  of  your  husband,  for 
whom  I  had  the  greatest  admiration  and  regard.  Please  accept 
my  heartfelt  sympathy. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Douglas  Spencer. 
October  6,  1921 

A  letter  of  condolence  that  is  something  of  a 
classic  is  Abraham  Lincoln's  famous  letter  to  Mrs. 
Bixby,  the  bereaved  mother  of  five  sons  who  died  for 
their  country : 


94  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Washington,  November  21, 1864. 
Dear  Madam: 

I  have  been  shown  in  the  files  of  the  War  Department  a  state- 
ment of  the  Adjutant-General  of  Massachusetts  that  you  are  the 
mother  of  five  sons  who  have  died  gloriously  on  the  field  of  battle. 
I  feel  how  weak  and  fruitless  must  be  any  words  of  mine  which 
should  attempt  to  beguile  you  from  the  grief  of  a  loss  so  over- 
whelming. But  I  cannot  refrain  from  tendering  to  you  the  con- 
solation that  may  be  found  in  the  thanks  of  the  Republic  they 
died  to  save.  I  pray  that  our  Heavenly  Father  may  assuage  the 
anguish  of  your  bereavement,  and  leave  you  only  the  cherished 
memory  of  the  loved  and  lost,  and  the  solemn  pride  that  must 
be  yours  to  have  laid  so  costly  a  sacrifice  upon  the  altar  of  free- 
dom. 

Yours  very  sincerely  and  respectfully, 
Abraham  Lincoln. 

This  is  the  letter^  that  Robert  E.  Lee,  when  he  was 
president  of  Washington  College,  wrote  to  the  father 
of  a  student  who  was  drowned: 

Washington  College, 
Lexington,  Virginia, 
March  19,  1868. 
My  dear  Sir: 

Before  this  you  have  learned  of  the  affecting  death  of  your  son. 
I  can  say  nothing  to  mitigate  your  grief  or  to  relieve  your  sorrow; 
but  if  the  sincere  sympathy  of  his  comrades  and  friends  and  of 
the  entire  conmiunity  can  bring  you  any  consolation,  I  can  as- 
sure you  that  you  possess  it  in  its  fullest  extent.  When  one, 
in  the  pureness  and  freshness  of  youth,  before  having  been  con- 

'From  "Recollections  and  Letters  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,"  by  Capt 
Bobert  E.  Lee.    Copyright,  1904,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  95' 

taminated  by  sin  or  afflicted  by  misery,  is  called  to  the  presence 
of  his  Merciful  Creator,  it  must  be  solely  for  his  good.  As  diffi- 
cult as  this  may  be  for  you  now  to  recognize,  I  hope  you  will  keep 
it  constantly  in  your  memory  and  take  it  to  your  comfort; 
pray  that  He  who  in  His  wise  Providence  has  f>ermitted  this 
crushing  sorrow  may  sanctify  it  to  the  happiness  of  all.  Your 
son  and  his  friend,  Mr.  Birely,  often  passed  their  leisure  hours 
in  rowing  on  the  river,  and,  on  last  Saturday  afternoon,  the  4th 
inst.,  attempted  what  they  had  more  than  once  been  'cautioned 
against — to  approach  the  foot  of  the  dam,  at  the  public  bridge. 
Unfortunately,  their  boat  was  caught  by  the  return-current, 
struck  by  the  falling  water,  and  was  immediately  upset.  Their 
perilous  position  was  at  once  seen  from  the  shore,  and  aid  waa 
hurried  to  their  relief,  but  before  it  could  reach  them  both  had 
perished.  Efforts  to  restore  your  son's  life,  though  long  con- 
tinued, were  imavailing.  Mr.  Birely's  body  was  not  found  imtil 
next  morning.  Their  remains  were,  yesterday,  Sunday,  con- 
veyed to  the  Episcopal  church  in  this  city,  where  the  sacred 
ceremonies  for  the  dead  were  performed  by  the  Reverend  Dr. 
Pendleton,  who  nineteen  years  ago,  at  the  far-off  home  of  their 
infancy,  placed  upon  them  their  baptismal  vows.  After  the 
service  a  long  procession  of  the  professors  and  students  of  the 
college,  the  officers  and  cadets  of  the  Virginia  Military  Academy, 
and  the  citizens  of  Lexington  accompanied  their  bodies  to  the 
packetboat  for  Lynchburg,  where  they  were  placed  in  charge  of 
Messrs.  Wheeler  &  Baker  to  convey  them  to  Frederick  City. 
With  great  regard  and  sincere  sympathy,  I  am. 

Most  respectfully, 
R.  E.  Lee. 

Letters  of  Sympathy  in  Case  of  Illness 

When  President  Alderman,  of  the  University  of 
Virginia,  was  forced  to  take  a  long  rest  in  the  moun- 
tains in  1912  because  of  incipient  tuberculosis,  the 


96  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

late  Walter  H.  Page,  at  the  time  editor  of  the  World's 
Work,  wrote  the  following  tenderly  beautiful  letter 
of  sympathy  to  Mrs.  Alderman: 

Cathedral  Avenue,  Garden  Citj',  L.  I., 
December  9,  1912. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Alderman: 

In  Raleigh  the  other  day  I  heard  a  rumor  of  the  sad  news  that 
your  letter  brings,  which  I  have  just  received  on  my  return  from 
a  week's  absence.  I  had  been  hoping  that  it  was  merely  a  rumor. 
The  first  impression  I  have  is  thankfulness  that  it  had  been  dis- 
covered so  soon  and  that  you  have  acted  so  promptly.  On  this 
I  build  a  great  hope. 

But  underlying  every  thought  and  emotion  is  the  sadness  of  it 
— that  it  should  have  happened  to  him,  now  when  he  has  done 
that  prodigious  task  and  borne  that  hard  strain  and  was  come 
within  sight  of  a  time  when,  after  a  period  of  more  normal  activ- 
ity, he  would  in  a  few  years  have  got  the  p>eriod  of  rest  that  he 
has  won. — But  these  will  all  come  yet;  for  I  have  never  read 
a  braver  thing  than  your  letter.  That  bravery  on  your  part  and 
his,  together  with  the  knowledge  the  doctors  now  have,  will 
surely  make  his  recovery  certain  and,  I  hope,  not  long  delayed. 
If  he  keep  on  as  well  as  he  has  begun,  you  will,  I  hope,  presently 
feel  as  if  you  were  taking  a  vacation.    Forget  that  it  is  enforced. 

There  comes  to  my  mind  as  I  write  man  after  man  in  my  ac- 
quaintance who  have  successfully  gone  through  this  experience 
and  without  serious  p>ermanent  hurt.  Some  of  them  live  here. 
More  of  them  live  in  North  Carolina  or  Colorado  as  a  precaution. 
I  saw  a  few  years  ago  a  town  most  of  whose  population  of  several 
thousand  i>ersons  are  recovered  and  active,  after  such  an  ex- 
perience. The  disease  has  surely  been  robbed  of  much  of  its 
former  terror. 

Your  own  courage  and  cheerfulness,  with  his  own,  are  the  best 
physic  in  the  world.    Add  to  these  the  continuous  and  sincere 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  97 

interest  that  his  thousands  of  friends  feel — these  to  keep  your 
courage  up,  if  it  should  ever  flag  a  moment — and  we  shall  all 
soon  have  the  delight  to  see  and  to  hear  him  again — his  old  self, 
endeared,  if  that  be  possible,  by  this  experience. 

And  I  pray  you,  help  me  (for  I  am  singularly  helpless  without 
suggestions  from  you)  to  be  of  some  little  service — of  any  service 
that  I  can.  Would  he  like  letters  from  me.''  I  have  plenty  of 
time  and  an  eagerness  to  write  them,  if  they  would  really  divert 
or  please  him.  Books?  What  does  he  care  most  to  read.''  I 
can,  of  course,  find  anything  in  New  York.  A  visit  some  time? 
It  would  be  a  very  real  pleasure  to  me.  You  will  add  to  my 
happiness  greatly  if  you  will  frankly  enable  me  to  add  even  the 
least  to  his. 

And  now  and  always  give  him  my  love.  That  is  precisely  the 
word  I  mean;  for,  you  know,  I  have  known  Mr.  Alderman  since 
he  was  graduated,  and  I  have  known  few  men  better  or  cared  for 
them  more. 

And  I  cannot  thank  you  earnestly  enough  for  your  letter;  and 
I  shall  hope  to  have  word  from  you  often — if  (when  you  feel 
indisposed  to  write  more)  only  a  few  lines. 

How  can  I  serve?  Command  me  without  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion. 

Most  sincerely  yours, 
Walter  H.  Page. 
To  Mrs.  Edwin  A.  Alderman. 

Joaquin  Miller  WTote  the  following  letter  to  Walt 
Whitman  on  receiving  news  that  the  latter  was  ill : 

Revere  House,  Boston,  May  27,  '75. 
My  dear  Walt  WTiitman:^ 

Your  kind  letter  is  received  and  the  sad  news  of  your  ill  health 
makes  this  pleasant  weather  even  seem  tiresome  and  out  of  place. 

iProm  "  With  Walt  Whitman  in  Camden,"  by  Horace  Traubel.  G)py- 
right,  1905, 1906,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


98  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

I  had  hoped  to  find  you  the  same  hale  and  whole  man  I  had  met  in 
New  York  a  few  years  ago  and  now  I  shall  perhaps  find  you 
bearing  a  staff  all  full  of  pain  and  trouble.  However  my  dear 
friend  as  you  have  sung  from  within  and  not  from  vnihout  I  am 
sure  you  will  be  able  to  bear  whatever  comes  with  that  beautiful 
faith  and  philosophy  you  have  ever  given  us  in  your  great  and 
immortal  chants.  I  am  coming  to  see  you  very  soon  as  you  re- 
quest; but  I  cannot  say  to-day  or  set  to-morrow  for  I  am  in  the 
midst  of  work  and  am  not  altogether  my  own  master.  But  I 
will  come  and  we  will  talk  it  all  over  together.  In  the  meantime, 
remember  that  whatever  befall  you  you  have  the  perfect  love  and 
sympathy  of  many  if  not  all  of  the  noblest  and  loftiest  natures  of 
the  two  hemispheres.    My  dear  friend  and  fellow  toiler  good 

by. 

Yours  faithfully, 

Joaquin  Miller. 

When  Theodore  Roosevelt  was  ill  in  hospital, 
Lawrence  Abbott  wrote  him  this  letter:^ 

Please  accept  this  word  of  sympathy  and  best  wishes.  Some 
years  ago  I  had  a  severe  attack  of  sciatica  which  kept  me  in  bed 
a  good  many  days:  in  fact,  it  kept  me  in  an  armchair  night  and 
day  some  of  the  time  because  I  could  not  lie  down,  so  I  know 
what  the  discomfort  and  pain  are. 

I  want  to  take  this  opportunity  also  of  sending  you  my  con- 
gratulations. For  I  think  your  leadership  has  had  very  much  to 
do  with  the  unconditional  surrender  of  Germany.  Last  Friday 
night  I  was  asked  to  speak  at  the  Men's  Club  of  the  Church 
of  the  Messiah  in  this  city  and  they  requested  me  to  make  you 
the  subject  of  my  talk.  I  told  them  something  about  your 
experience  in  Egypt  and  Europe  in  1910  and  said  what  I  most 


^From  "Impressions  of  Theodore  Roosevelt,"  by  Lawrence  F.  Abbott, 
Copyright,  1919,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  99' 

strongly  believe,  that  your  address  at  the  Sorboime — in  strength- 
ening the  supporters  of  law  and  order  against  red  Bolshevism — 
and  your  address  in  Guildhall — urging  the  British  to  govern  or 
go — contributed  directly  to  the  success  of  those  two  governments 
in  this  war.  If  Great  Britain  had  allowed  Egypt  to  get  out  of 
hand  instead  of,  as  an  actual  result  of  your  Guildhall  speech, 
sending  Kitchener  to  strengthen  the  feebleness  of  Sir  Eldon 
Gorst,  the  Turks  and  Germans  might  have  succeeded  in  their 
invasion  and  have  cut  off  the  Suez  Canal.  So  you  laid  the 
ground  for  preparedness  not  only  in  this  country  but  in  France 
and  England. 

I  know  it  was  a  disappointment  to  you  not  to  have  an  actual 
share  in  the  fighting  but  I  think  you  did  a  greater  piece  of  work 
in  preparing  the  battleground  and  the  battle  spirit. 

In  reply  Mr.  Roosevelt  sent  Mr.  Abbott  this  note: 

That's  a  dear  letter  of  yours,  Lawrence.  I  thank  you  for  it 
and  I  appreciate  it  to  the  full. 

Acknowledgments 
(A) 

My  dear  Mr.  Spencer, 

I  am  grateful  to  you  for  your  comforting  letter.  Thank  you 
for  your  sympathy. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Mary  Cole  Burroughs. 
October  26, 1921. 

(B) 

My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

Let  me  thank  you  in  behalf  of  myself  and  my  family  for  your 
sympathy.    Do  not  measure  our  appreciation  by  the  length  of 


100  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

time  it  has  taken  me  to  reply.    We  appreciated  your  letter 
deeply. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Mary  Cole  Burroughs. 
October  26,  1921. 

(C) 

My  dear  Arthur, 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  your  sympathetic  letter  received  in  ou» 
bereavement. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Mary  Cole  Burroughs. 
October  26, 1921. 

(D) 

Dear  Mr.  Treadwell, 

Thank  you  very  much  for  your  s^-mpathy.  Your  offer  to  be  of 
service  to  me  at  this  time  I  greatly  appreciate,  but  I  shall  not 
need  to  trouble  you,  although  it  is  comforting  to  know  that  I 
may  call  on  you. 

I  shall  never  forget  your  kindness. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Mary  Cole  Burroughs. 
October  24,  1921. 

This  is  the  note^  that  Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich 
wrote  to  his  friend  William  H.  Rideing  upon  re- 
ceiving from  the  latter  a  note  of  condolence : 

'From  "Many  Celebrities  and  a  Few  Others — A  Bundle  of  Remi- 
niscences," by  William  H.  Rideing.  Copyright,  1912,  by  Doubleday, 
Page  Jfe  O 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  101 

Dear  Rideing : 

I  knew  that  you  would  be  sorry  for  us.  I  did  not  need  your 
sympathetic  note  to  tell  me  that.  Our  dear  boy's  death  has 
given  to  three  hearts — his  mother's,  his  brother's  and  mine — a 
wound  that  will  never  heal.  I  cannot  write  about  it.  My  wife 
sends  her  warm  remembrance  with  mine  to  you  both. 

Every  faithfully  your  friend, 
T.  B.  Aldrich. 

Letters  of  Congratulation 

The  letter  of  congratulation  must  be  natural,  not 
stilted,  and  must  be  sincere.  In  congratulating  a 
new  acquaintance  on  a  marriage  it  is  not  necessary 
to  send  more  than  the  visiting  card  with  "heartiest 
congratulations."  To  a  bride  and  groom  together  a 
telegram  of  congratulation  may  be  sent  on  the  day  of 
the  wedding,  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  ceremony. 

To  a  bride  one  does  not  send  congratulations,  but 
"the  best  of  good  wishes."  The  congratulations 
are  for  the  groom. 

The  following  letters  will  serve  as  examples  for 
congratulatory  letters  for  different  occasions: 

On  a  birthday  «   .   » 

500  Park  Avenue, 

,,     ,       ,,      T,„.  ^^  February  6,  1923. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Elliott, 

Congratulations  on  your  birthday!  I  hope  that  all  your  years 
to  come  will  be  as  happy  and  as  helpful  to  others  as  those  past. 

I  am  sending  j'ou  a  little  gift  as  a  token  of  appreciation  for 
your  kindness  to  me,  which  I  hope  you  will  enjoy. 

Most  sincerely  yours, 
Katherme  G.  Evans. 


102  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

From  a  gentlemen  to  a  young  lady  on  her  birthday 

500  Park  Avenue, 
AprU  13,  1922. 

My  dear  Miss  Judson, 

May  I  send  you  my  congratulations  on  this  your  birthday? 
I  am  sending  a  little  token  of  my  best  wishes  for  you  for  many 
years  to  come. 

Yours  sincerely, 
Richard  Evans. 


On  a  wedding  day  anniversary 

500  Park  Avenue, 
June  1,  192S. 
My  dear  Charlotte  and  George, 

Please  accept  my  heartiest  good  wishes  on  this,  the  fifteenth 
anniversary  of  yoiu*  marriage.  May  the  years  to  come  bring 
every  blessing  to  you  both. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 


(B) 

500  Park  Avenue, 
December  4,  1922. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Smith, 

Congratulations  on  this  the  twentieth  anniversary  of  your 
wedding.  Our  heartiest  wishes  to  you  both  from  Mr.  Evans  and 
me. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Katherine  Gerard  Evans. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  103 

On  the  birth  of  a  child 

788  East  46th  St., 
August  11,  1923. 
My  dear  Dorothy, 

Congratulations  upon  the  birth  of  your  daughter.  May  the 
good  fairies  shower  upon  her  the  gifts  of  goodness,  wisdom,  and 
beauty. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Charlotte  B.  Trent, 


On  a  graduation 

500  Park  Avenue, 
June  SO,  1923. 
My  dear  John, 

It  is  with  great  pleasure  that  I  hear  of  your  graduation  this 
year.  It  is  a  fine  thing  to  have  so  successfully  finished  your 
college  course. 

May  I  send  my  heartiest  congratulations? 

Sincerely  yours, 
Ruth  Evans. 


On  an  engagement 

In  writing  to  a  girl  or  a  man  on  the  occasion  of  an 
engagement  to  be  married  there  is  no  general  rule 
if  one  knows  the  man  or  woman.  One  may  write  as 
one  wishes. 

If  a  stranger  is  to  be  received  into  the  family,  one 
writes  a  kindly  letter. 


104  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

28  Odell  Avenue, 
Apra  S,  1923. 
My  dear  Haines, 

Let  me  be  among  the  first  to  congratulate  you  on  your  en- 
gagement to  Miss  Bruce.  I  have  not  met  her  but  I  know  that  to 
reach  your  high  ideals  she  must  indeed  be  a  wonderful  girl.  I 
hope  I  may  soon  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  her. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Charles  Lawson. 


500  Park  Avenue, 
May  14, 1923. 
My  dear  Miss  Bruce, 

My  nephew  has  told  me  his  great  news.  I  am  much  pleased 
to  hear  that  you  are  soon  to  come  into  the  family,  because  I 
know  that  the  girl  of  Edward's  choice  must  be  sweet  and  charm- 
ing. I  hope  that  you  will  learn  to  love  us  for  our  own  sake  as  well 
as  for  Edward's. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 


500  Park  Avenue, 
September  18,  1923. 
Dear  Helen, 

The  announcement  of  your  engagement  to  Robert  Haines  i» 
a  delightful  surprise.     He  is,  as  we  all  know,  a  splendid  chap. 

I  am  so  happy  that  this  groat  happiness  has  come  to  you.  1 
hope  that  I  may  hear  all  about  it,  and  with  best  wishes  to  you 
both,  I  am 

Affectionately  yours, 
Ruth  Evans. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  105 

On  the  subject  of  engagements,  perhaps  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  Charles  Lamb  to  Fanny  Kelly, 
and  her  reply,  will  be  of  interest — though  the  un- 
arduous  and  somewhat  prosaic  tone  of  Elia's  pro- 
posal of  marriage — beautifully  expressed  as  it  is — is 
hardly  to  be  recommended  as  a  model  calculated  to 
bring  about  the  desired  result! 


Dear  Miss  Kelly: 

We  had  the  pleasure,  pain  I  might  better  call  it,  of  seeing  you 
last  night  in  the  new  plaj'.  It  was  a  most  consummate  piece  of 
acting,  but  what  a  task  for  you  to  undergo!  At  a  time  when 
your  heart  is  sore  from  real  sorrow  it  has  given  rise  to  a  train  of 
thinking,  which  I  cannot  suppress. 

Would  to  God  you  were  released  from  this  way  of  life;  that  you 
could  bring  your  mind  to  consent  to  take  your  lot  with  us,  and 
throw  off  for  ever  the  whole  burden  of  your  profession.  I 
neither  expect  nor  wish  you  to  take  notice  of  this  which  I  am 
writing,  in  your  present  over  occupied  and  hurried  state — but  to 
think  of  it  at  your  leisure.  I  have  quite  income  enough,  if  that 
were  all,  to  justify  for  me  making  such  a  proposal,  with  what  I 
may  call  even  a  handsome  provision  for  my  survivor.  What  you 
possess  of  your  own  would  naturally  be  appropriated  to  those, 
for  whose  sakes  chiefly  you  have  made  so  many  hard  sacrifices. 
I  am  not  so  foolish  as  not  to  know  that  I  am  a  most  unworthy 
match  for  such  a  one  as  you,  but  you  have  for  years  been  a 
principal  object  in  my  mind.  In  many  a  sweet  assumed  char- 
acter I  have  learned  to  love  you,  but  simply  as  F.  M.  Kelly  I 
love  you  better  than  them  all.  Can  you  quit  these  shadows  of 
existence,  and  come  and  be  a  reality  to  us?  Can  you  leave  off 
harassing  yourself  to  please  a  thankless  multitude,  who  know 


106  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

nothing  of  you,  and  begin  at  last  to  live  to  yourself  and  your 
friends? 

As  plainly  and  frankly  as  I  have  seen  you  give  or  refuse  assent 
in  some  feigned  scene,  so  frankly  do  me  the  justice  to  answer  me. 
It  is  impossible  I  should  feel  injured  or  aggrieved  by  your  telling 
me  at  once,  that  the  proposal  does  not  suit  you.  It  is  impossible 
that  I  should  ever  think  of  molesting  you  with  idle  importunity 
and  prosecution  after  your  mind  [is]  once  firmly  spoken — but 
happier,  far  happier,  could  I  have  leave  to  hop>e  a  time  might 
come,  when  our  friends  might  be  your  friends;  our  interests  yours; 
our  book  knowledge,  if  in  that  inconsiderable  particular  we  have 
any  like  advantage,  might  impart  something  to  you,  which  you 
would  every  day  have  it  in  your  p>ower  ten  thousand  fold  to  re- 
pay by  the  added  cheerfulness  and  joy  which  you  could  not  fail 
to  bring  as  a  dowry  into  whatever  family  should  have  the  honor 
and  happiness  of  receiving  you,  the  most  welcome  accession  that 
could  be  made  to  it. 

In  haste,  but  with  entire  respect  and  deepest  aflFection,  I 
subscribe  myself 

C.Lamb. 


To  this  letter  ^liss  Kelly  replied: 

Henrietta  Street,  July  20, 1819. 

An  early  and  deeply  rooted  attachment  has  fixed  my  heart  on 
one  from  whom  no  worldly  prospect  can  well  induce  me  to  with- 
draw it,  but  while  I  thus  frankly  and  decidedly  decline  your 
proposal,  believe  me,  I  am  not  insensible  to  the  high  honour 
which  the  preference  of  such  a  mind  as  yours  confers  upon  me — 
let  me,  however,  hop>e  that  all  thought  up>on  this  subject  will  end 
with  this  letter,  and  that  you  will  henceforth  encourage  no  other 
sentiment  towards  me  than  esteem  in  my  private  character  and 
a  continuance  of  that  approbation  of  my  humble  talents  which 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  107 

you  have  already  expressed  so  much  and  so  often  to  my  ad- 
vantage and  gratification. 
Believe  me  I  feel  proud  to  acknowledge  myself 

Your  obliged  friend, 
F.  M.  KeUy. 
To  C.  Lamb,  Esq. 

Letters  of  Introduction 

Letters  of  introduction  should  not  be  given  in- 
discriminately. If  the  giver  of  the  letter  feels  that 
something  of  benefit  may  come  to  both  of  the  persons 
concerned,  then  there  is  no  doubt  about  the  advis- 
ability of  it.  But  a  letter  of  introduction  should  not 
be  given  to  get  rid  of  the  person  who  asks  for  it. 

It  is  not  good  form  to  ask  for  one.  If  it  is  really 
necessary  to  have  one  and  the  friend  to  be  requested 
knows  that  you  need  it,  he  will  probably  give  you  the 
letter  unsolicited. 

A  letter  of  introduction  should  not  be  sealed  by 
the  person  giving  it.  It  is  written  in  social  form  and 
placed  in  an  unsealed  envelop>e  addressed  to  the 
person  to  whom  the  introduction  is  made.  If  the 
letter  is  a  friendly  letter,  it  is  enclosed  in  an  additional 
envelope  by  the  person  who  requested  the  letter, 
sealed,  and  with  his  card  on  which  appears  his  city 
address,  sent  to  the  person  addressed.  The  person 
addressed,  upon  the  receipt  of  the  letter,  calls  within 
three  days  upon  the  person  who  is  introduced. 

It  has  been  customary  to  deliver  a  business  letter 
of  introduction  in  person,  but  on  consideration,  it 


108  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

would  seem  that  this  is  not  the  wisest  course.  The 
letters  of  introduction  most  in  demand  are  those  to 
very  busy  men — men  of  affairs.  If  one  calls  per- 
sonally at  the  office  of  such  a  man,  the  chance  of 
seeing  him  on  the  occasion  of  presenting  the  letter  is 
slight.  And,  as  has  often  been  proved  in  practice,  a 
telephone  call  to  arrange  an  appointment  seldom  gets 
through.  The  best  plan  seems  to  be  to  mail  the 
letter  with  a  short  note  explaining  the  circumstances 
under  which  it  was  written. 

Sometimes  (more  often  in  business)  an  introduc- 
tion is  made  by  a  visiting  card  with  "Introducing 
Mr.  Halliday"  written  at  the  top.  This  method 
may  be  used  with  a  person  with  whom  we  are  not 
well  acquainted.  This  introductory  card  is  usually 
presented  in  person,  but  what  has  been  said  concern- 
ing the  letter  applies  here  also. 

Matters  of  a  personal  or  private  nature  should  not 
appear  in  letters  of  introduction. 


(A) 

New  York.  N.  Y., 

June  8,  1922. 
Dear  Dick, 

The  bearer  of  this  note,  Mr.  Donald  Ritchie  of  Boston,  ex- 
pects to  be  in  your  town  for  six  months  or  so.  He  is  an  old  friend 
of  mine — in  fact,  I  knew  him  at  College — and  I  think  you  would 
like  him. 

He  is  going  to  Black  Rock  in  the  interest  of  the  Sedgwick 
Cement  Company.    He  knows  nobody  in  Black  Rock,  and  any- 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  109 

thing  j'ou  can  do  to  make  his  stay  pleasant,  I  shall  greatly  ap- 
preciate. 

Cordially  yours, 
John  Hope. 

(^>  ^    . 

Canajoharie,  New  York, 
June  8,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Evans, 

This  will  introduce  to  you  Miss  Caroline  Wagner  who  is  the 
daughter  of  one  of  my  oldest  friends.  She  will  be  in  New  York 
this  winter  to  continue  her  music  studies. 

She  is  a  girl  of  charming  personality  and  has  many  accomplish- 
ments. I  am  sure  you  will  enjoy  her  company.  She  is  a  stranger 
in  New  York  and  any  courtesy  you  may  extend  to  her  I  shall  be 
deeply  grateful  for. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

Edna  Hamilton  Miller. 
Mrs.  John  Evans 
500  Park  Avenue 
New  York.  N.  Y. 

(C) 

8  Beacon  Street, 
Boston,  Mass., 
March  17,  1922. 
My  dear  Brent, 

The  bearer,  William  Jones,  is  a  young  acquaintance  of  mine  who 
is  going  to  live  in  Cleveland.  If  there  is  anything  you  can  do 
without  too  much  trouble  to  yourself  in  recommending  a  place  to 
board,  or  assisting  him  to  a  situation,  I  shall  be  grateful.  He  has 
good  habits,  and  if  he  gets  a  foothold  I  am  sure  he  will  make  good. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Robert  T.  HiU. 


no  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Another  letter,  already  immortal  as  a  literary 
gem,  is  Benjamin  Franklin's  "Model  of  a  Letter  ol 
Recommendation  of  a  Person  You  Are  Unacquainted 
With": 


Sir, 

The  bearer  of  this,  who  is  going  to  America,  presses  me  to  give 
him  a  letter  of  recommendation,  though  I  know  nothing  of  him, 
not  even  his  name.  This  may  seem  extraordinary,  but  I  assure 
you  it  is  not  uncommon  here.  Sometimes,  indeed,  one  unknown 
person  brings  another  equally  unknown,  to  recommend  him;  and 
sometimes  they  recommend  one  another!  As  to  this  gentleman, 
I  must  refer  you  to  himself  for  his  character  and  merits,  with 
which  he  is  certainly  better  acquainted  than  I  can  possibly  be. 
I  recommend  him,  however,  to  those  civilities,  which  every 
stranger,  of  whom  one  knows  no  harm,  has  a  right  to;  and  I  re- 
quest you  will  do  him  all  the  good  offices,  and  show  him  all  the 
favor,  that,  on  further  acquaintance,  you  shall  find  him  to  de- 
serve.   I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc. 


Letters  of  Thanks 
For  a  wedding  gift 

The  letter  of  thanks  for  a  wedding  gift  must  be 
sent  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  receipt  of  the  gift« 
The  bride  herself  must  write  it.  When  the  wedding  i? 
hurried  or  when  gifts  arrive  at  the  last  moment,  the 
bride  is  not  required  to  acknowledge  them  until  after 
the  honeymoon.  In  all  cases  the  gift  is  acknowledged 
both  for  herself  and  her  husband-elect  or  husband. 


PEESONAL  LETTERS  111 

(A) 

898  East  53rd  Street 

May  5,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Elliott, 

The  bouillon  spoons  are  exquisite.  It  was  simply  lovely  of 
you  to  send  us  such  a  beautiful  gift.  Leonard  wishes  to  express 
with  me  our  deepest  appreciation. 

With  all  good  wishes,  I  am 

Sincerely  yours, 

Dorothy  Evans  Duncan. 

(B) 

898  East  53rd  Street. 

JVIay  8,  1922. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Callender, 

This  is  the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  to  thank  you  for  your 
wonderful  gift.  But,  as  you  know,  our  arrangements  were 
changed  at  the  last  moment  and  many  of  our  wedding  gifts  we 
did  not  have  time  to  open  before  going  away.  So  we  hop>e  you 
will  forgive  us  for  the  delay. 

We  are  now  back  in  town  established  in  our  new  home  and  I 
want  you  to  know  how  appropriate  are  those  exquisite  candle- 
sticks. Mr.  Duncan  and  I  are  both  deeply  grateful  for  your 
thought  of  us. 

Yours  most  sincerely, 

Dorothy  Evans  Duncan.. 

For  a  Christmas  gift 

134  Bolton  Place 
December  28,  1923. 
My  dear  Alice, 

Your  handsome  Christmas  gift  is  something  I  have  wanted 
for  a  long  time,  but  never  could  get  for  myself.    The  bag  and  its 


112  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

beautiful  fittings  are  much  admired.    I  send  my  warmest  thanl^ 
for  your  thoughtf ulness  in  selecting  it. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
Mary  Scott. 


For  a  gift  received  by  a  girl  from  a  man  • 

400  Ellsworth  Place 

April  14,  1922. 
My  dear  Mr.  Everett, 

Thank  you  for  your  good  wishes  and  for  your  lovely  gift  in 
remembrance  of  my  birthday.  It  is  a  charming  book  and  one 
which  I  am  very  anxious  to  read. 

It  was  most  kind  of  you  to  think  of  me. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  Judson. 


For  a  gift  to  a  child 


798  East  38th  Street, 
December  31,  1923. 


My  dear  Mr.  Basset, 

Your  wonderful  Christmas  gift  to  Barbara  came  this  morning. 
She  is  wholly  captivated  with  her  beautiful  doll  and  I  am  sure 
would  thank  you  for  it  if  she  could  talk. 

Let  me  thank  you  for  your  kindness  in  remembering  her. 

Cordially  yours, 

Dorothy  Evans  Brewster. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  113 

For  a  gift  to  another  ■ 

49  Maxwell  Avenue, 
Bayview,  Long  Island, 

July  15,  1923. 

My  dear  Mr.  Haines, 

I  appreciate  very  mucli  the  exquisite  flowers  which  you  so 
kindly  sent  to  Mrs.  Evans.     She  is  rapidly  improving  and  will 
soon  be  about  again. 
We  send  oiur  warmest  thanks. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
John  Evans. 

For  favor  shown  to  another 

500  Park  Avenue, 
November  25,  1922. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Howard, 

You  were  very  kind  indeed  in  entertaining  my  cousin,  Mrs. 
Douglas,  during  her  stay  in  your  city.    I  am  exceedingly  grateful 
and  I  hope  to  find  some  way  of  reciprocating. 
'  Very  sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 

Following  are  actual  letters  of  thanks  written  by 
distinguished  persons.  Here  is  one^  from  George 
Meredith  to  Lady  Granby,  acknowledging  the  receipt 
of  a  reproduction  of  a  portrait  by  her  of  Lady  Mar- 
jorie  Manners: 

Box  Hill,  Dorking, 
Dec.  2G,  1899. 
Dear  Lady  Granby: 

It  is  a  noble  gift,  and  bears  the  charms  to  make  it  a  constant 
pleasure  with  me.    I  could  have  wished  for  the  full  face  of  your 

iFrom  "Letters  of  George  Meredith,"  Copyright,  1912,  by  Cbas. 
Scribner's  Sons.    By  permission  of  the  publishers. 


114  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

daughter,  giving  eyes  and  the  wild  sweep  of  hair,  as  of  a  riviJe^ 
issuing  from  under  low  eaves  of  the  woods — so  I  remember  her. 
You  have  doubtless  other  sL-etches  of  a  maid  predestined  to  bfl 
heroine.  I  could  take  her  for  one.  All  the  women  and  children 
are  heaven's  own,  and  human  still,  and  individual  too.  Behold 
me,  your  most  grateful 

George  Meredith. 

From  Lord  Alfred  Tennyson  to  Walt  WTiitman  :^ 

Farringford,  Freshwater,  Isle  of  Wight; 
Jan'y  loth,  1887. 
Dear  old  man: 

I  the  elder  old  man  have  received  your  Article  in  the  CriiiCy 
and  send  you  in  return  my  thanks  and  New  Year's  greeting  on 
the  wings  of  this  east-wind,  which,  I  trust,  is  blowing  softlier  and 
warmlier  on  your  good  gray  head  than  here,  where  it  is  rocking 
the  elms  and  ilexes  of  my  Isle  of  Wight  garden. 

Yours  always, 
Tennyson. 

From  Ellen  Terry  to  Walt  Whitman: 

Grand  Pacific  Hotel,  Chicago, 
January  4th,  '88. 
Honored  Sir — and  Dear  Poet: 

I  beg  you  to  accept  my  appreciative  thanks  for  your  great 
kindness  in  sending  me  by  Mr.  Stoker  the  little  hig  book  of 
poems — ^As  a  Strong  Bird,  etc.,  etc. 

^This  and  the  following  four  letters  are  from  "With  Walt  Whitman  in 
Camden,"  by  Horace  Traubel.  CopjTight,  1905,  IGCG,  1912,  1914,  by 
Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  115 

Since  I  am  not  personally  known  to  you  I  conclude  Mr. 
Stoker  "asked"  for  me — it  was  good  of  him — I  know  he  loves  you 
very  much. 

God  bless  you,  dear  sir — believe  me  to  be  with  much  respect 

Yours  affectionately, 
Ellen  Terry. 


From  Moncure  Conway  to  Walt  "VMiitman : 

Hardwicke  Cottage,  Wimbledon  Common- 
London,  S.  W.,  Sept.  10,  '67. 
My  dear  friend: 

It  gave  me  much  pleasure  to  hear  from  you;  now  I  am  quite 
full  of  gratitude  for  the  photograph — ^a  grand  one — the  present 
of  all  others  desirable  to  me.  The  copy  suitable  for  an  edition 
here  should  we  be  able  to  reach  to  that  I  have  and  shall  keep 
carefully.  "\Mien  it  is  achieved  it  will  probajbly  be  the  result  and 
fruit  of  more  reviev/ing  and  discussion.  I  shall  keep  my  eyes 
wide  open;  and  the  volume  with  O'C.'s  introduction  shall  come 
out  just  as  it  is:  I  am  not  sure  but  that  it  will  in  the  end  have  to 
be  done  at  our  own  expense — which  I  believe  would  be  repaid. 
It  is  the  kind  of  book  that  if  it  can  once  get  out  here  will  sell.  The 
English  groan  for  something  better  than  the  perpetual  rechauffe 
of  their  literature.  I  have  not  been  in  London  for  some  little 
time  and  have  not  yet  had  time  to  consult  others  about  the  mat- 
ter. I  shall  be  able  to  write  you  more  satisfactorily  a  little 
later.  I  hear  that  you  have  written  something  in  The  Galaxy. 
Pray  tell  O'Connor  I  shall  look  to  him  to  send  me  such  things. 
I  can't  take  all  American  magazines;  but  if  you  intend  to  write 
for  The  Galaxy  regularly  I  shall  take  that.  With  much  friend- 
ship for  you  and  O'Connor  and  his  wife,  I  am  yours, 

Moncure  Conway. 


116  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

From  John  Addington  S^Tnonds  to  Walt  Whitman: 

Clifton  Hill  House,  Bristol, 
July  12,  1877. 
I>ear  Mr.  Whitman; 

I  was  away  from  England  when  your  welcome  voltimes  reached 
me,  and  since  my  return  (during  the  last  six  weeks)  I  have  been 
very  ill  with  an  attack  of  hemorrhage  from  the  lung — brought  on 
while  I  was  riding  a  pulling  horse  at  a  time  when  I  was  weak  from 
cold.  This  must  account  for  my  delay  in  writing  to  thank  you 
for  them  and  to  express  the  great  pleasure  which  your  inscription 
in  two  of  the  volumes  has  given  me. 

I  intend  to  put  into  my  envelope  a  letter  to  you  with  some 
verses  from  one  of  your  great  admirers  in  England.  It, is  my 
nephew — the  second  son  of  my  sister.  I  gave  him  a  copy  of 
heaves  of  Grass  in  1874,  and  he  knows  a  great  portion  of  it  now 
by  heart.  Though  still  so  young,  he  has  developed  a  consider- 
able faculty  for  writing  and  is  an  enthusiastic  student  of  literature 
as  well  as  a  frank  vigorous  lively  yoimg  fellow.  I  thought  you 
might  like  to  see  how  some  of  the  youth  of  England  is  being 
drawn  towards  you. 

Believe  me  always  sincerely  and  affectionately  yours. 

J.  A.  Symonds. 
From  Edward  Everett  Hale  to  Dr.  Lyman  Abbott:^ 

Jan.  29,  1900,  Roxbury, 
Monday  morning. 
Dear  Dr.  Abbott: 

I  shall  stay  at  home  this  morning — so  I  shall  not  see  you. 

All  the  same  I  want  to  thank  you  again  for  the  four  sermons: 
and  to  say  that  I  am  sure  they  will  work  lasting  good  for  the 
congregation. 

^From  "Silhouettes  of  My  Contemporaries,"  by  Lyman  Abbott, 
Copyright,  1921,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co, 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  117 

More  than  this.  I  think  you  ought  to  think  that  such  an  op- 
portimity  to  go  from  church  to  church  and  city  to  city — gives 
you  a  certain  opportunity  and  honour — which  even  in  Plymouth 
Pulpit  a  man  does  not  have — ^and  to  congregations  such  a  tum^ 
ing  over  the  new  leaf  means  a  great  deal. 

Did  you  ever  deliver  the  Lectures  on  Preaching  at  New 
Haven? 

With  Love  always. 

Always  yours, 
E.  E.  Hale. 

From  Friedrich  Nietzsche  to  Karl  Fuchs;* 

Sils-Maria,  Oberengadine,  Switzerland, 
June  SO,  1888. 
My  dear  Friend: 

How  strange!  How  strange!  As  soon  as  I  was  able  to  trans- 
fer myself  to  a  cooler  clime  (for  in  Turin  the  thermometer  stood 
at  31  day  after  day)  I  intended  to  write  you  a  nice  letter  of 
thanks.  A  pious  intention,  wasn't  it?  But  who  could  have 
guessed  that  I  was  not  only  going  back  to  a  cooler  clime,  but  into 
the  most  ghastly  weather,  weather  that  threatened  to  shatter  my 
health!  Winter  and  summer  in  senseless  alternation;  twenty- 
six  avalanches  in  the  thaw;  and  now  we  have  just  had  eight 
days  of  rain  with  the  sky  almost  always  grey — this  is  enough 
to  account  for  my  profoimd  nervous  exhaustion,  together  with 
the  return  of  my  old  ailments.  I  don't  think  I  can  ever  remem- 
ber having  had  worse  weather,  and  this  in  my  Sils-Maria,  whither 
I  always  fly  in  order  to  escape  bad  weather.  Is  it  to  be  won- 
dered at  that  even  the  parson  here  is  acquiring  the  habit  of  swear- 
ing? From  time  to  time  in  conversation  his  speech  halts,  and 
then  he  always  swallows  a  curse.    A  few  days  ago,  just  as  he 


^From  "Selected  Letters  of  Friedrich  Nietzsche,"  edited  by  Oscar 
Lery.    G)pyright,  1921,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


118  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

was  coming  out  of  the  snow-covered  church,  he  thrashed  his  dog 
and  exclaimed:  "The  confounded  cur  spoiled  the  whole  of  my 
sermon!"     .     .     . 

Yours  in  gratitude  and  devotion, 

Nietzsche. 

In  making  a  donation  of  £100,000  for  branch 
libraries  in  the  city  of  Glasgow,  this  is  the  letter^ 
that  Andrew  Carnegie  sent  to  the  Lord  Provost  of 
the  city  council: 

My  dear  Lord  Provost: 

It  will  give  me  pleasure  to  provide  the  needed  £100,000  for 
Branch  Libraries,  which  are  sure  to  prove  of  great  advantage 
to  the  masses  of  the  people.  It  is  just  fifty  years  since  my 
parents  with  their  little  boys  sailed  from  Broomielaw  for  New 
York  in  the  barque  Wiscassett,  900  tons,  and  it  is  delightful  to 
be  permitted  to  commemorate  the  event  upon  my  visit  to  you. 
Glasgow  has  done  so  much  in  mimicipal  affairs  to  educate  other 
cities,  and  to  help  herself,  that  it  is  a  privilege  to  help  her.  Let 
Glasgow  flourish!  So  say  all  of  us  Scotsmen  throughout  the 
world. 

Always  yours, 

Andrew  Carnegie. 

Letters  between  Friends 
Dear  Grace, 

Your  'phone  call  surely  caught  me  napping;  but  after  an  hour 
or  so  of  effort  I  did  recall  just  how  Sato  mixed  the  shrimps  and 
carrots  in  the  dish  which  you  so  much  enjoyed. 


'From  "Andrew  Carnegie,  the  Man  and  His  Work,"    by  Bernard 
Alderson.    Copyright,  1902,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  119 

First,  catch  your  shrimp!  When  they  have  been  cleaned 
and  prepared  as  for  a  salad,  place  on  ice  and  in  ice,  if  possible. 
Grate  the  carrots  on  the  coarse  side  of  the  grater,  placing  im- 
mediately on  the  salad  plates,  which  of  course  have  already  been 
garnished  with  lettuce  leaves.  Then  add  just  a  fine  sprinkling 
of  chopped  apples  (I  find  this  the  best  substitute  for  alligator 
pears)  and  then  the  shrimps.  Pour  over  this  the  mayonnaise 
and  serve  at  once. 

I  do  not  know  what  he  called  it  and  could  not  spell  it  if  I  did, 
but  you  are  at  liberty  to  call  it  anything  you  like.  At  all  events, 
I  am  sure  the  crowd  will  agree  it  is  a  little  different,  and  I  am  glad 
to  have  been  able  to  give  the  idea. 

Cordially  yours, 
Ruth  Wilson. 
July  14, 1921 

My  dear  Mrs.  Sampson, 

I  am  so  glad  to  know  that  you  have  completely  recovered  from 
your  recent  illness. 

I  trust  you  will  soon  be  able  to  resume  your  wonted  activities. 
We  all  have  missed  you — at  bridge  and  tennis  particularly. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Mary  E.  WeUs. 
July  18,  1923 

My  dear  Mr.  Baines, 

I  have  just  heard  of  your  success  in  getting  your  book  pub- 
lished. I  have  always  had  a  great  admiration  for  you  and  your 
work,  and  I  am  sending  this  little  note  to  assure  you  of  my  re- 
gard, and  to  wish  you  still  further  successes. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Madeleine  Strickland. 
March  10, 1923 


MO  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

My  dear  Miss  Gwynne, 

I  am  very  sorry  that  I  was  out  when  you  called.  I  hop)e  you 
will  come  again  soon  for  I  do  so  much  want  to  see  you. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 
February  16,  1923 

It  may  be  of  passing  interest  to  read  a  letter  or  two 
from  distinguished  persons  to  their  boyhood  friends. 
Here  is  one^  from  the  late  John  Burroughs: 

Esopus,  N.  Y.,  June  1, 1883. 
Dear  Tom  Brown : 

I  have  been  a-fishing  or  I  should  have  answered  your  letter 
before.  I  always  go  a-fishing  about  this  time  of  year,  after 
speckled  trout,  and  I  always  catch  some,  too.  But  dog-fighting 
I  have  nothing  to  do  with,  unless  it  be  to  help  some  little  dog 
whip  some  saucy  big  cur.  Game  birds  are  all  right  in  their 
aeason,  but  I  seldom  hxmt  them.  Yet  this  is  about  the  best 
way  to  study  them. 

You  want  to  know  how  I  felt  as  a  boy.  Very  much  as  I  do 
now,  only  more  so.  I  loved  fishing,  and  tramping,  and  swim- 
ming more  than  I  do  these  late  years.  But  I  had  not  so  tender  a 
heart.  I  was  not  so  mercifid  to  the  birds  and  animals  as  I  am 
now. 

Much  of  what  I  have  put  in  my  books  was  gathered  while  a 
boy  on  the  farm.  I  am  interested  in  what  you  tell  me  of  your 
Band  of  Mercy,  and  should  like  much  to  see  you  all,  and  all  the 
autographs  in  that  pink  covered  book.  Well,  youth  is  the  time 
to  cidtivate  habits  of  mercy,  and  all  other  good  habits.  The 
bees  will  soon  be  storing  their  clover  honey,  and  I  trust  you  boys 

^From  "John  Burroughs,  Boy  and  Man,"  by  Dr.  Clara  Barrus.  Copy- 
light,  1920,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  121 

and  girls  are  laying  away  that  which  will  by  and  by  prove  choicest 
I)ossessions. 

Sincerely  your  friend, 
John  Burroughs. 

The  following  letter^  was  written  when  J.  J.  Hill — 
perhaps  the  greatest  railroading  genius  America  has 
ever  produced — was  twenty  years  of  age.  It  is  one 
of  the  few  letters  written  by  him  at  this  time  of  his 
life  that  have  been  preserved: 

Saint  Paul,  February  11, 1858. 
Dear  William: 

Your  epistle  bearing  date  of  seventeenth  ult.  came  to  hand  on 
good  time  and  your  fertile  imagination  can  scarcely  conceive 
what  an  amount  of  pleasure  I  derived  from  it,  as  it  was  the  first 
epistle  of  William  to  James  at  St.  Paid  for  a  "long  back,"  My 
surprise  at  receiving  your  letter  was  only  surpassed  by  my  sur- 
prise at  not  receiving  one  from  you  after  you  left  St.  Paul,  or 
sometime  during  the  ensuing  season.  Still,  a  good  thing  is 
never  too  late  or  "done  too  often."  It  gave  me  much  pleasure 
to  hear  that  you  were  all  well  and  enjoying  yourselves  in  the  good 
and  pious  (as  I  learn)  little  town  of  Rockwood.  I  did  intend  to 
go  to  Canada  this  winter,  but  it  is  such  a  long  winter  trip  I  thought 
I  should  defer  it  until  summer,  when  I  hope  to  be  able  to  get 
away,  as  I  intend  to  go  on  the  river  this  summer  if  aU  goes  as 
well  as  I  exp>ect.  Capt.  W.  F.  Davidson  wrote  me  from  Cin- 
cinnati about  going  with  him  as  first  clerk  on  the  side-wheel 
packet  Frank  Steele,  a  new  boat  about  the  size  of  the  War  Eagle. 
The  Captain  is  Letter  A,  No.  1,  and  I  think  I  shall  go  with  him. 
If  not,  I  have  two  or  three  good  offers  for  coming  season  on  the 

»From  "The  Life  of  James  J.  Hill,"  by  Joseph  GUpin  Pyle.  Copy- 
right, 1916, 1917,  by  Doubleday,  Page  &  Co. 


122  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

levee,  besides  my  present  berth,  which  is  nevertheless  very  com- 
fortable. 

I  think  it  mighty  strange  that  some  (of  my  letters)  have  not 
reached  home  as  I  wrote  several  times  to  my  brother  Alex,  and 
I  never  was  more  surprised  in  my  life  than  when  old  Bass  handed 
me  a  letter  of  inquiry  as  to  my  whereabouts.  But  after  the 
boats  stop  running  our  mails  are  carried  so  irregularly  that  whole 
bags  of  mail  matter  are  often  mislaid  at  way  stations  for  weeks 
and  some  finally  lost  or  otherwise  destroyed.  On  the  tenth  of 
November  last  I  was  returning  from  the  Winslow  House  with 
Charley  CoflSn,  Clerk  of  the  War  Eagle,  about  eleven  o'clock,  and 
when  we  were  coming  down  Fourth  Street  passing  one  of  those 
rum  holes,  two  Irishmen,  red  mouths,  came  out  and,  following 
us,  asked  us  if  we  would  not  go  back  and  take  a  drink.  Charley 
said  "no,"  and  we  were  passing  on  when  two  more  met  us  who, 
along  with  the  other  two,  insisted  that  they  meant  no  harm  and 
that  we  should  go  in  and  drink.  I  told  them  that  I  did  not  drink 
and  that,  generally  speaking,  I  knew  what  I  was  about.  We 
attempted  to  go  on,  but  they  tried  to  have  us  go  back,  so  I  hauled 
off  and  planted  one,  two  in  Paddie's  grub  grinder,  and  knocked 
him  off  the  sidewalk  about  eight  feet.  The  remainder  pitched  in 
and  Charley  got  his  arm  cut  open  and  I  got  a  button  hole  cut 
through  my  left  side  right  below  the  ribs.  The  city  police  came 
to  the  noise  and  arrested  three  of  them  on  the  spot  and  the 
other  next  day  and  they  turned  out  to  be  Chicago  Star  Cleaners, 
a  name  given  to  midnight  ruflSans.  I  was  not  compelled  to  keep 
my  bed,  but  it  was  some  two  months  before  I  was  quite  recovered 
from  the  effects  of  the  cut. 

One  day  on  the  levee  I  was  going  aboard  one  of  the  boats  and 
slipped  on  the  gang  plank  and  sprained  my  knee,  which  laid  me 
up  for  about  two  weeks.  About  a  week  ago  my  pugnacious 
friend  who  gave  me  his  mark  escaped  from  the  penitentiary  at 
Stillwater,  along  with  all  the  rest  of  the  prisoners  confined  at  the 
time.  I  am  sincerely  very  grateful  to  you  for  your  generous 
offer  in  your  letter  and  fully  appreciate  yoiu*  kindness.    But 


PERSONAL  LETTERS  1«S 

notwithstanding  my  bad  luck  I  have  still  "a  shot  in  the  locker,** 
about  $200,  which  will  put  me  out  of  any  trouble  until  spring. 
Our  winter  here  has  been  very  mild  and  open.  We  have 
scarcely  had  any  snow,  but  what  was  altogether  unprecedented, 
rain  storms  lasting  three  or  four  days  in  succession.  Times  have 
been  mighty  dull  here  this  winter  and  money  scarce.  Write  to 
me  as  soon  as  you  receive  this  and  give  me  a  bird's  eye  view  of 
Rockwood  and  its  inhabitants.    Believe  me 

Yours  sincerely, 
J.  J.  Hill. 
Send  me  some  papers. 


CHAPTER  VI 

PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS 

One  does  not  have  to  be  in  business  in  order  to 
write  "business  letters."  A  thousand  personal  af- 
fairs crop  up  which  require  letters  of  a  commercial 
rather  than  a  social  nature.  There  is  only  one  rule — 
say  what  you  have  to  say  clearly  and  quickly.  Al- 
though the  letter  should  be  written  on  the  ordinary 
social  stationery  and  follow  the  placing  and  spacing 
of  the  social  letter,  no  time  should  be  wasted  in  trying 
to  make  the  letter  appear  friendly  and  chatty.  The 
clerks  in  business  houses  who  usually  attend  to  the 
mail  seem  to  be  picked  for  their  obtuseness,  and  do  not 
often  understand  a  letter  which  is  phrased  in  other 
than  commonplace  terms.  Once  I  overheard  a  con- 
versation between  an  Italian  shoemaker  and  a  Bos- 
ton woman  over  the  repairing  of  a  pair  of  shoes.  The 
woman  wanted  the  soles  fastened  on  with  nails.  The 
only  word  she  knew  for  that  operation  was  "tapped." 
The  only  word  the  shoemaker  knew  was  "nailed." 
They  were  absolutely  at  a  deadlock  until  the  shoe- 
maker, knowing  that  the  woman  did  not  want  the 
soles  sewed  on,  proceeded  to  demonstrate  with  ham- 
mer and  nail  just  what  he  meant  by  "nailed."  It  is 
well  to  remember  that  motion  pictures  do  not  ac- 
company letters  and  hence  to  take  for  granted  that 


PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS      125 

if  a  way  exists  for  getting  what  you  mean  wrong  that 
way  will  be  found.  It  is  unfortunately  safe  to  take 
for  granted  that  a  personal  business  letter  is  going  to 
be  read  by  a  moron. 

Ordering  goods  from  a  department  store 

500  Park  Avenue, 

L.  Burton  &  Company, 
Fifth  Ave.  &  39th  St., 
New  York 

Gentlemen: 

Please  send  me  as  soon  as  possible  and  charge  to  my  accoimt 
the  following  goods:  , 

1  doz.  hemstitched  huck  towels,  large  size,  from  $12.00  to 
$15.00  a  dozen 

2  pairs  infants'  laced  shoes,  sizes  4  D  and  43D. 

One  pair  to  be  returned  as  I  am  not  certain  of  the  correct 
size. 

3  pairs  children's  rompers,  size  2  years,  band  knee,  1  all  white, 

1  white  with  blue  collar,  1  white  with  pink  collar. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans 
(Mrs.  John  Evans) 


500  Park  Avenue, 

AprU  3, 1922. 


To  correct  an  error 

Caldwell  Sons  Co., 

8941  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

May  I  call  your  attention  to  my  account  rendered  on  April 
1st?    There  would  seem  to  be  two  errors,  as  follows: 


126  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Under  date  of  March  18th  I  am  charged  with  four  pairs  of  silk 
stockings  at  $3.50  a  pair,  although  I  purchased  only  three  pairs. 

On  March  22nd  I  am  credited  with  one  pair  of  children's 
shoes  at  $5.00.  I  had  two  pairs  sent  on  approval,  but  returned 
both  of  them  as  neither  pair  fitted. 

I  enclose  my  check  in  the  sum  of  $148.96  which  is  the  total 
less  the  overcharge.  To  assist  in  the  adjustment  I  also  enclose 
the  original  slip  for  the  stockings  and  the  driver's  call  receipt 
for  the  two  pairs  of  shoes. ^ 

Very  truly  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 
(Mrs.  John  Evans) 

Letter  to  department  store  requesting  charge  account 

1018  South  Elm  Street, 
Chicago,  HI., 
May  3, 1922. 
MarshaU  Field  &  Co., 
Chicago,  m. 

Gentlemen: 

I  have  recently  come  to  live  in  Chicago  and  I  should  like  to 
open  a  charge  account  with  you. 

My  present  accounts  are  all  in  New  York  and  I  can  give  you 
the  following  references : 

Lord  &  Taylor 
TiflFany  &  Co. 
Abercrombie  &  Fitch  Co. 
J.  &  J.  Slater 
Lincoln  Trust  Co. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Alberta  T.  White. 

(Mrs.  James  White) 

^Or  instead  of  enclosing  these  slips  it  is  often  better  to  mention  the 
numbers  that  appear  on  them  and  to  retain  the  slips  themselves. 


PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS       127 

Asking  for  estimate  for  draperies  and  furnishings 

500  Park  Avenue, 
May  16.  1922. 
Forsythe  &  White, 
438  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

Will  you  send  me  an  approximate  estimate  of  the  cost  of 
materials  and  labor  necessary  for  the  doing  of  the  following 
work: 
Slip  covers  with  valances  of  English  hand-blocked  linen  for 

two  large  wing  chairs  and  one  chaise-longue. 
Two  reversible  portieres  of  the  linen  for  doorways  11  feet  high 

and  8  feet  wide. 
Three  pairs  curtains  for  casement  windows  6  feet  high  and  5 
feet  wide,  with  pleated  valance.    These  curtains  to  be  of 
habutai  silk. 
,    Of  course  I  shall  understand  that  this  is  purely  an  approximate 
estimate. 

I  should  like  to  have  thb  as  soon  as  you  can  conveniently  send 

it. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 
(Mrs.  John  Evans) 

Declining  to  have  work  done  as  estimated 

500  Park  Avenue, 
May  23,  1922. 
Forsythe  &  White, 
438  Fifth  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

Thank  you  for  your  letter  of  19th  May  in  answer  to  mine  of 
the  ICth,  requesting  an  estimate  for  slip  covers  and  curtains. 


128  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Your  estimate  calls  for  more  outlay  than  I  should  care  to  make 
at  the  present  time,  so  I  shall  have  to  postpone  the  matter  imtil 
next  year. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 
,(Mrs.  John  Evans) 

Recommendation  for  a  servant 

June  14, 1922. 

This  is  to  certify  that  Eatrina  Hellman  has  been  in  my  em- 
ploy as  assistant  nurse  for  one  year.  During  that  period  I  have 
found  her  honest,  capable,  and  reliable.  I  can  give  her  an  un- 
qualified recommendation. 

K.  G.  Evans. 
(Mrs.  John  Evans) 

For  information  concerning  a  servant 

6300  Deming  Place 

Chicago,  HI,, 
May  9,  1922. 
Mrs.  John  Evans, 

600  Park  Avenue,        , 
New  York. 

Dear  Madam: 

I  hope  you  will  pardon  me,  but  I  should  be  very  much  in- 
debted to  you  for  any  facts  concerning  Gaston  Duval,  who  has 
been  in  your  employ  as  chauflFeur.  If  you  will  give  me  this  in- 
formation I  shall  treat  it  as  confidential. 

Yours  very  truly, 
Cecelia  B.  Duke, 
(Mrs.  Samuel  Duke) 


PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS       129 

Answers  to  reqtiest  for  information  concerning  a  ser- 
vant 

500  Park  Avenue, 
New  York  City, 
May  13,  1922. 
Mrs.  Samuel  Duke, 

5300  Deming  Place, 
Chicago,  HI. 

Dear  Madam: 

I  have  your  inquiry  of  May  the  ninth  concerning  my  former 
chauffeur,  Gaston  Duval. 

I  am  very  glad  to  recommend  him.  He  is  sober  and  honest, 
and  I  always  foimd  him  thoroughly  dependable  during  his  fifteen 
months  in  my  employ.  He  drives  well  and  is  an  expert  mech- 
anician. 

Yours  very  truly, 
K.  G.  Evans, 
(  Mrs.  John  Evans) 

500  Park  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y., 
May  13,  1922.' 
Airs.  Samuel  Duke, 

5300  Deming  Place, 
Chicago,  111. 

Dear  Madam : 

I  have  your  inquiry  of  May  the  ninth  concerning  my  former 
chauffeur,  Gaston  Duval. 

I  hope  that  you  will  not  think  me  discourteous  but  I  should 
much  prefer  not  to  discuss  him. 

Yours  very  truly, 
K.  G.  Evans. 
(Mrs.  John  Evans) 


130  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

(In  letters  which  in  effect  decKne  to  give  a  recom» 
mendation  it  is  wiser  not  to  set  out  facts  or  even 
actually  to  decline  to  give  the  recommendation. 
See  Chapter  XI  on  the  Law  of  Letters.  The  following 
letter  to  a  servant,  which  is  an  indirect  way  of  declin- 
ing to  recommend,  is  on  the  danger  hue.) 

To  a  servant  ^^  ,     ,,. 

Harbor  View, 

Long  Island, 

_  _     ,       _  _  ^  August  29,  1921. 

My  dear  Margaret, 

Mrs,  Hubert  Forbes  has  written  me  concerning  your  qualifi- 
cations as  cook,  and  asks  if  I  would  recommend  you  in  every  way. 
Also  I  have  your  request  to  me  for  a  reference. 

With  regard  to  your  skill  in  cooking  there  can  be  no  question. 
I  can  recommend  you  as  having  served  me  for  two  years  and  I  can 
vouch  for  your  honesty.  But,  as  you  know,  you  are  not  to  be  de- 
pended on — ^for  instance,  to  return  promptly  after  your  daj's  oflf  or 
to  do  any  work  at  all  duringyour  frequent  disputes  with  the  butler. 

This  I  have  told  Mrs.  Forbes.  I  could  not  conscientiously  do 
otherwise;  but  I  have  asked  that  she  try  you  in  the  hope  that  yo» 
have  decided  to  remedy  these  faults. 

Very  truly  yours, 
F.  B.  Scott. 
(Mrs.  Harrison  Scott) 

Harbor  View,  L.  T., 

„    "        ,        „    ,  August  29,  1921. 

Mrs.  Hubert  Forbes, 

Bayshore,  L.  I. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Forbes: 

I  have  your  letter  of  August  twenty-fifth  concerning  my  former 
cook,  Margaret  Dickson.  She  is  an  extremely  good  cook.  She 
was  with  me  for  two  years,  and  I  can  vouch  for  her  honesty. 


PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS       131 

but  she  is  not  to  be  depended  on — ^for  instance,  to  return 
promptly  after  her  days  off  or  to  do  any  work  during  her  frequent 
quarrels  with  the  butler.  But  she  seems  anxious  to  improve, 
and  if  you  would  care  to  give  her  a  trial,  I  think  she  might  be 
satisfactory  in  new  surroundings. 

I  hope  this  reply  will  answer  your  questions. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Flora  B.  Scott. 

Letter  to  a  former  servant 

Dear  Delia, 

If  you  will  not  be  too  busy  next  week,  will  you  come  out  and 
take  care  of  the  children  for  three  or  four  days?  Mr.  Stone  and 
I  expect  to  be  away.  I  am  sure  your  husband  can  spare  you. 
You  will  be  surprised  at  the  way  Jack  is  growing.  He  often 
speaks  of  you. 

Let  me  know  immediately- 

Cordially  yours, 
B.  L.  Stone. 

(Note  the  signature — the  use  of  initials  instead  o£ 
writing  the  full  name.) 

Inquiry  concerning  house  for  rental 

48  Cottage  Road, 
Somerville,  Mass., 
April  8,  1921. 
Schuyler  Realty  Company, 
49  Fulton  Street, 
Brookl>-n,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

Will  you  be  good  enough  to  send  me  the  following  information 
concerning  the  house  at  28  Bedford  Park  which  you  have  ad- 
vertised for  rental: 


132  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Location  of  the  house  with  regard  to  subway  and  L  station, 
and  the  nearest  public  school.  General  character  of  the  im- 
mediate neighborhood. 

Distance  to  the  nearest  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Condition  and  kind  of  plumbing  in  each  of  the  three  bath- 
rooms. 

Make  of  furnace  and  the  amount  of  coal  necessary  to  heat  the 
house. 

Is  the  house  completely  screened?    Are  there  awnings? 

The  floors — of  what  wood  and  in  what  condition  are  they? 

Is  the  cellar  dry? 

Where  is  the  laundry? 

"When  can  the  house  be  ready  for  occupancy? 

I  should  like  to  have  the  facts  as  soon  as  you  can  furnish  them. 

Very  truly  yours, 
George  M.  Hall. 


Inquiry  concerning  house  for  purchase 

345  Amsterdam  Avenue, 

Philadelphia,  Pa., 
May  10, 1921. 
Wheaton  Manor  Development  Co., 
Dobbs  Ferry,  New  York. 

Gentlemen: 

"Will  you  let  me  know  without  delay,  if  possible,  if  you  have 
any  property  in  your  immediate  neighborhood  fulfilling  the  fol- 
lowing requirements: 

House — ^Twelve  rooms,  four  bathrooms,  and  sun  porch.    A 
modem  house  of  stucco  and  half-timber  construction  pre- 
ferred. 
Ground — about  five  acres,  part  woodland,  part  cleared;  lawn, 
vegetable,  and  flower  garden. 


PERSONAL  BUSINESS  LETTERS       133 

Distance  from  railroad  station — ^not  more  than  fifteen  minutes' 
ride. 
:   I  do  not  want  to  pay  more  than  $25,000. 

I  shall  be  here  until  the  twentieth  of  the  month.    After  that  a 
reply  will  reach  me  at  the  Hotel  Pennsylvania,  New  York. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Jerome  Hutchinson. 


Inquiry  concerning  a  child  at  school: 

1842  Riverside  Drive, 
New  York,  N.  Y., 
February  10,  1922. 
My  dear  Professor  Ritchie, 

My  son  John's  report  for  the  term  just  closed  is  far  from  satis- 
factory. While  I  do  not  expect  perfection  from  him,  I  think — 
in  fact,  I  know — he  is  capable  of  better  work  than  is  shown  by  his 
present  rating. 

I  observe  that  he  did  not  pass  in  mathematics,  a  subject  in 
which  he  was  always  first  in  the  elementary  school.  My  first 
thought  was  that  possibly  he  was  not  physically  well,  but  his 
activity  in  athletics  would  seem  to  refute  this.  This  leads  me 
to  another  thought — perhaps  he  is  giving  too  much  time  and 
interest  to  athletics.  What  is  your  opinion  and  what  course 
would  you  recommend? 

I    Would  it  be  possible  by  coaching  to  have  him  make  up  the 
required  averages? 

As  I  am  leaving  New  York  in  two  weeks  for  an  extended  trip, 
I  would  like  to  take  some  steps  toward  improving  his  scholarship 
status.    Will  you  let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  possible? 

Very  truly  yours, 
John  Crandall. 


134  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Letter  ordering  Easter  gifts  from  a  magazine  shop- 


pmg  service 


Quogue,  Long  Island, 
March  27,  1922. 


Standard  Shopping  Service, 
100  West  38th  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

I  enclose  my  check  for  $25.00  for  which  please  send  by  express 
the  following  articles  to 

Miss  Dorothea  Allen 
Sunrise  Lodge 
Highland,  Pa. 
Two  sterling  silver  candlesticks  in  Colonial  pattern  at  $12.50 

each,  on  Page  178,  March  issue. 
Or  if  you  cannot  secure  them,  will  you  purchase  as  second 
choice 
Two  jars  in  Kashan  ware,  with  blue  as  the  predominating 
color? 

Very  truly  yours, 
Laura  Waite. 
(Mrs.  Herbert  Waite) 


CHAPTER  Vn 
THE  BUSINESS  LETTER 

A  REPORTER  was  Sent  out  on  a  big  story — one  of 
the  biggest  that  had  broken  in  many  a  day.  He  came 
back  into  the  office  about  eight  o'clock  all  afire  with 
his  story.  He  was  going  to  make  a  reputation  on 
the  writing  of  it.  He  wanted  to  start  off  with  a 
smashing  first  paragraph — the  kind  of  lead  that  could 
not  help  being  read.  He  knew  just  what  he  was  go- 
ing to  say;  the  first  half-dozen  lines  fairly  wrote  them- 
selves on  the  typewriter.  Then  he  read  them  over. 
They  did  not  seem  quite  so  clever  and  compelling  as 
he  had  thought.  He  pulled  the  sheet  out  and  started 
another.  By  half -past  ten  he  was  in  the  midst  of  a 
sea  of  copy  paper — but  he  had  not  yet  attained  a  first 
paragraph. 

The  City  Editor — one  of  the  famous  old  Sun  school 
— ^grew  anxious.  The  paper  could  not  wait  until 
inspiration  had  matured.  He  walked  quietly  over 
to  the  young  man  and  touching  him  on  the  shoulder 
he  said: 

"Just  one  little  word  after  another,  son." 

And  that  is  a  good  thought  to  carry  into  the  com- 
position of  a  business  or  any  other  kind  of  letter.  The 
letter  is  written  to  convey  some  sort  of  idea.    It  will 

135 


136  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

not  perfectly  convey  the  idea.  Words  have  their 
Kmitations.  It  will  not  invariably  produce  upon  the 
reader  the  effect  that  the  writer  desires.  You  may 
have  heard  of  "irresistible"  letters — sales  letters  that 
would  sell  electric  fans  to  Esquimaux  or  ice  skates  to 
Hawaiians,  collection  letters  that  make  the  thickest 
skinned  debtor  remit  by  return  mail,  and  other  kinds 
of  resultful,  masterful  letters  that  pierce  to  the  very 
soul.  There  may  be  such  letters.  I  doubt  it.  And 
certainly  it  is  not  worth  while  trying  to  concoct  them. 
They  are  the  outpourings  of  genius.  The  average 
letter  writer,  trying  to  be  a  genius,  deludes  only  him- 
self— ^he  just  becomes  queer,  he  takes  to  unusual 
words,  constructions,  and  arrangements.  He  puts 
style  before  thought — he  thinks  that  the  way  he 
writes  is  more  important  than  what  he  writes.  The 
writer  of  the  business  letter  does  well  to  avoid 
"cleverness" — to  avoid  it  as  a  frightful  and  devastat- 
ing disease. 

The  pmpose  of  a  business  letter  is  to  convey  a 
thought  that  will  lead  to  some  kind  of  action — im- 
mediately or  remotely.  Therefore  there  are  only  two 
rules  of  importance  in  the  composition  of  the  business 
letter. 

The  first  is:  Know  what  you  want  to  say. 

The  second  is:  Say  it. 

And  the  saying  is  not  a  complicated  affair — it  is  a 
matter  of  "one  little  word  after  another." 

Business  letters  may  be  divided  into  two  general 
classes: 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  137 

(1)  Where  it  is  assumed  that  the  recipient  will 
want  to  read  the  letter, 

(2)  Where  it  is  assumed  that  the  recipient  will 
not  want  to  read  the  letter. 

The  first  class  comprises  the  ordinary  run  of  busi- 
ness correspondence.  If  I  write  to  John  Smith  ask- 
ing him  for  the  price  of  a  certain  kind  of  chair,  Smith 
can  assume  in  his  reply  that  I  really  want  that  in- 
formation and  hence  he  will  give  it  to  me  courteously 
and  concisely  with  whatever  comment  on  the  side 
may  seem  necessary,  as,  for  instance,  the  fact  that 
this  particular  type  of  chair  is  not  one  that  Smith 
would  care  to  recommend  and  that  Style  X,  costing 
$12.00,  would  be  better. 

The  ordinary  business  letter  is  either  too  wordy  or 
too  curt;  it  either  loses  the  subject  in  a  mass  of  words 
or  loses  the  reader  by  offensive  abruptness.  Some 
letters  gush  upon  the  most  ordinary  of  subjects^ 
they  are  interspersed  with  friendly  ejaculations  such 
as  "Now,  my  dear  Mr.  Jones,"  and  give  the  impres- 
sion that  if  one  ever  got  face  to  face  with  the  writer 
he  would  effervesce  all  over  one's  necktie.  Many 
a  man  takes  a  page  to  say  what  ought  to  be  said  in 
four  lines.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  letter  writers 
so  uncouth  in  the  handling  of  words  that  they  seem 
rude  when  really  they  only  want  to  be  brief.  The 
only  cure  for  a  writer  of  this  sort  is  for  him  to  spend 
some  months  with  any  good  English  composition 
book  trying  to  learn  the  language. 

The  second  class  of  letters — those  in  which  it  is 


138  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

presumed  that  the  recipient  will  not  want  to  read — 
comprises  all  the  circular  letters.  These  are  selling  or 
announcement  letters  and  it  is  hoped  that  they  will 
play  the  part  of  a  personal  representative.  The 
great  bulk  of  these  letters  are  sales  letters.  Their 
characteristic  is  that  the  writer  and  the  reader  are 
unknown  to  each  other.  It  is  not  quite  accurate  to 
say  that  the  reader  will  never  want  to  read  the  letters 
• — no  one  knows  how  many  of  the  millions  of  circular 
letters  sent  out  are  read.  A  farmer  will  read  practi- 
cally every  letter  that  comes  to  him;  many  business 
men  will  throw  every  circular  letter  into  the  waste 
basket  unread.  It  is  well  to  assume  in  this  kind  of 
fetter,  however,  that  the  recipient  does  not  want  to 
lead  it  but  that  he  will  open  and  glance  at  it.  It  is  up 
to  you  to  make  such  a  good  letter  that  the  first  glance 
will  cause  him  to  read  more. 

There  is  no  way  of  catching  the  man  who  throws 
letters  away  unopened;  any  attempt  to  have  the 
envelope  tell  what  the  letter  should  tell  is  apt  to  be 
unfortunate,  because  it  will  have  no  effect  upon  the 
inveterate  tosser  away  and  may  deter  even  some  of 
those  who  commonly  do  open  circular  mail.  The 
best  method  is  to  make  the  letter  look  so  much  like  a 
routine  business  letter  that  no  one  will  dare  to  throw 
it  away  without  investigation. 

The  cost  of  a  sales  letter  is  not  to  be  reckoned  other- 
wise than  by  results.  The  merit  of  a  sales  letter  is 
to  be  judged  solely  by  the  results.  Therefore  it  is 
not  a  question  of  what  kind  of  letter  one  thinks 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  1S9 

ought  to  produce  results.  The  single  question  is 
what  kind  of  letter  does  produce  results. 

There  is  only  one  way  to  ascertain  results,  and 
that  is  by  test.  No  considerable  expenditure  in 
direct  mail  solicitation  and  no  form  letter  should  be 
extensively  used  without  an  elaborate  series  of  tests. 
Otherwise  the  money  may  be  thrown  away.  The 
extent  of  the  tests  will  depend  upon  the  contemplated 
expenditure.  Every  concern  that  sends  out  many 
sales  letters  keeps  a  careful  record  of  results.  These 
records  show  the  letter  itself,  the  kind  of  envelope, 
the  typing,  the  signature,  and  the  kind  of  list  to 
which  it  has  been  sent.  Thus  a  considerable  fund  of 
information  is  obtained  for  future  use.  This  in- 
lormation,  however,  has  to  be  very  carefully  handled 
because  it  may  easily  become  misinformation,  for  we 
cannot  forget  the  appeal  of  the  product  itself.  No 
one  as  yet  has  ever  been  able  to  gauge  in  advance  the 
appeal  of  a  product. 

Some  apparently  very  bad  letters  have  sold  very 
good  products.  Some  apparently  very  good  letters 
have  quite  failed  to  sell  what  turned  out  to  be  bad 
products.  Therefore,  the  information  that  is  ob- 
tained in  the  circularizing  and  sale  of  one  product  has 
to  be  taken  warily  when  applied  to  another  product. 
It  should  be  taken  only  for  what  it  is  worth,  and  that 
is  as  a  general  guide. 

Several  concerns  with  a  mind  for  statistical  in- 
formation have  in  the  past  so  carefully  compiled  the 
effectiveness  of  their  letters,  but  without  regard  to 


WItXJAM   H.  aHCNOVa 


•Attkc  ft»««caii 


OTIS  ELEVATOR  COMPANY 

New  YORR 


mem  Dooce  coMPOiumoN.' 


'^i^mae^,^^^^ 


Standard  Oil  Company 


Aitu*pirmt'Hl0xtlim  itmoj^vav^. 


VM.  M.WOOD.  Pnaisxv* 


-^/^/>^^^ 


Specimens  of  business  letterheads 
140 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  141 

the  product,  that  they  have  discovered  an  inordi- 
nately large  number  of  things  that  cannot  be  done  and 
extremely  few  things  that  can  be  done.  This  is  the 
danger  of  placing  too  much  faith  in  previous  expe- 
rience. One  of  these  companies  entirely  discarded 
its  records  of  what  could  not  be  done  and  started 
afresh.  They  found  that  several  of  the  methods 
which  they  had  previously  used  and  discarded  hap- 
pened to  do  well  under  changed  conditions  and  with 
different  products. 

If  any  large  expenditure  be  contemplated  then 
many  tests  should  be  made.  The  kind  of  envelope, 
the  manner  of  addressing,  the  one  cent  as  opposed  to 
the  two-cent  stamp,  the  kind  of  letterhead,  the  com- 
parative merits  of  printing,  multigraphing,  or  electric 
typewriting,  the  length  and  composition  of  the  letter, 
the  effect  of  the  return  card,  the  effect  of  enclosing 
a  stamped  return  card  or  a  stamped  return  envelope, 
the  method  of  signing,  and  so  on,  through  each  detail, 
must  be  tried  out.  No  test  is  ever  conclusive,  but 
very  Httle  information  of  value  is  to  be  obtained  by 
circularizing  less  than  five  hundred  names.  These 
names  may  be  taken  sectionally  or  at  random.  The 
sectional  method  is  somewhat  better,  for  then  com- 
parison of  results  in  several  sections  may  be  made, 
and  it  may  turn  out  that  it  would  be  well  to  phrase 
differently  letters  for  different  sections. 

The  returns  on  the  letters  are  not  of  themselves 
conclusive.  If  one  section  responds  and  another  does 
not,  it  is  well  to  look  into  business  conditions  in  the 


142  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

sections.  It  may  be  that  in  one  section  the  people 
are  working  and  that  in  another  there  is  considerable 
unemployment.  The  main  point  about  all  of  these 
statistics  is  to  be  sure  that  what  one  terms  results  are 
results,  bearing  in  mind  that  it  is  the  test  and  not 
what  one  thinks  about  a  letter  that  counts. 

It  is  distinctly  harmful  for  any  one  to  say  that  a 
letter  should  be  long  or  short.  It  all  depends  on  who 
is  going  to  get  the  letter.  The  tendency  in  recent 
years  has  been  toward  the  very  long  sales  letter. 
This  is  because  in  a  large  number  of  cases  the  long 
letter  has  been  singularly  effective.  However,  the 
long  letter  can  be  overdone.   It  is  the  test  that  counts. 

The  exact  purpose  for  which  a  letter  is  written  is 
to  be  stated  clearly  before  entering  upon  the  compo- 
sition. Very  few  letters  will  sell  articles  costing  as 
much  as  fifty  dollars  unless  perhaps  the  payments 
are  on  the  installment  plan.  Many  men  of  experi- 
ence put  the  limit  as  low  as  five  dollars.  Others  put 
it  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  the  effectiveness  of  a  letter  which  is  designed  to 
achieve  a  sale  decreases  as  the  price  of  that  which  is 
offered  for  sale  increases.  Therefore,  most  of  the 
letters  written  concerning  more  expensive  articles 
are  not  intended  to  effect  sales.  They  are  designed 
to  bring  responses  that  will  furnish  leads  for  salesmen. 

Other  letters  are  more  in  the  nature  of  announce- 
ments, by  which  it  is  hoped  prospects  may  be  brought 
into  a  store. 

Where  the  article  offered  for  sale  is  quite  high  in 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  143 

price,  the  letters  sometimes  may  be  very  expensively 
prepared.  On  one  occasion  the  late  John  H.  Pat- 
terson, discovering  that  his  salesmen  could  not  get 
to  the  heads  of  several  department  stores,  ordered 
some  very  fine  leather  portfolios.  On  each  portfolio 
he  had  stamped  the  name  of  the  man  who  was  to 
receive  it.  They  were  gifts  such  as  any  one  would 
welcome  and  which  no  one  could  possibly  ignore. 
Inside  each  portfolio  were  contained  a  letter  and  a 
number  of  photographs  showing  exactly  what  he 
desired  to  have  the  agents  demonstrate.  Each  gift 
cost  about  fifty  dollars.  He  sent  the  portfolios  with 
his  compliments.  The  secretaries  of  the  men  that  he 
wanted  to  interest  could  not  possibly  toss  them  away^ 
They  simply  had  to  give  them  to  their  principals. 
My  impression  is  that  the  entire  expenditure  ran  to 
several  thousand  dollars,  but  as  a  result  some  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars  in  sales  were  effected,  for  in 
practically  every  case  the  photographs  awakened  an  in- 
terest that  led  to  an  appointment  with  the  salesman. 
The  following  letters  are  intended  to  be  suggestive. 
They  cannot  honestly  be  put  forward  as  being  more 
than  that.  They  are  all  letters  that  have  gained  re- 
sults under  certain  circumstances.  That  they  will 
gain  results  under  new  and  different  circumstances  is 
a  matter  on  which  no  one  can  speak  with  any  as- 
surance. Every  sales  letter  is  a  matter  of  cut  and 
try.  Some  of  these  letters  may  produce  results  ex- 
actly as  they  stand.  Others  may  better  be  used  in 
^combination. 


Miller.  Franklin,  Basset  s  Company 


[947  MAOSOMAvEiiifli 
Hew  York 


Monday 
Vorember  ISth 

'i»  2  a 


Ur.  Ihkllaoo  Perry 
9019  Horth  Itoln  Strmt 
Buffalo^  Be«.  York 

Ity  de«r  Mr.  Perrjrt 

In  your  letter  of  Horomber  11th  you  ask  If  we  woulfl  gl»e 
you  sonething  oS  our  experience  in  the  spacing  and  placing 
,of  letters. 

'9e  have  found,  after  a  good  deal  of  oxperlBentlng,  that, 
although  adopting  a  single  standard  type  size  for  all 
nachines  in  the  office  has  certain  econoDical  adviintages. 
It  is  better  in  correspondence  in  which  the  letters  do  not 
extend  beyond  a  single  page  (excepting  of  an  official  nature, 

'*s  in  the  reports  or  the  like)  to  use  the  sauiller  type  faoe  • 
that  is,  the  elite  -  first,  because  it  permits  letters  that 
would  extend  over  a  page  in  the  larger  type  to  be  written 
upon  a  single  page  -  and  it  is  always  an  advantage  to  have  a 
letter  on  one  sheet  of  paper  -  and  second  because  the  el'ito 
type,  written  single  space  with  double  spacing  between  the 
paragraphs,  undoubtedly  makes  the  best  looking  letter.  The 
larger  type  faces'  when  written  single  space  not  only  rake  a 
less  good  looking  letter  but  also  they  seea  harder  to  read. 
Double  spaaing  carries  a  letter  ower  too  such  paper. 

Ve  fornarlyhad  several  sizes  of  letterheads,  but  we  dla> 
eovered  that  the  time  taken  by  the  stenographer  to  decide 
Whether  she  would  use  a  snail  or  a  large  letterhead,  and  the 
ounbersoaeness  of  having  more  than  one  sort  of  stationery  at 
band,  Buoh  acre  than  overoaae  the  slight  saving  in  paper  that 
the  saaller  site  afforded.  Therefore  we  use  only  the  one 
■it*  of  letterhead  and  try  to  center  the  letter,  changing 
the  margin  to  fit  the  oircuastances.  We  think  that  in  the 
•nailer  type  the  block  form  of.psfaeraph  la  preferable  to  the 
[Indented. 


II  M 


V.  t.  tuaeti  m 


VtTy  truly  your*«. 
KIUSS,  FRASKLIS,  BASSE7  «  00. 


Arrangement  of  a  business  letter  (block  form) 
144 


Miller,  FhANKLm*  Basset  s  Company 


347  Mamsoh  AvcMDt 

New  York  Honday 

tovewbet  IStb 
19  2  2 


Mr.  Wallace  Perry 

9019  Horth  Main  Street 
Buffalo.  Be«  lork 

Vy  dear  lir.- Perry; 

In  your  letter  of  Hovember  11th  yoti  ask  If  we 
«oulA  giro  you  something  of  our  expsrlenoe  In   the  spacing 
■nd  placing  of  letters. 

We  have  found,  after  a  good  deal  of  experlnentlng, 
that,  although  adopting  a  single  s'teoidard  type  size  for  all 
naohlnes  in  the  office  has  certain  economical  advantages,  it 
la  -better  in  correspondence  in  wliioh  the  letters  do  not  ex- 
tend beyond  a  single  page  (excepting  of  an  official  nature, 
•s  in  the  reports  or  the  like }  to  use  the  smaller  type  face  ' 
that  is,  the  elite  -  first,  because  it  permits  letters  that 
would  extend  over  a  page  in  the  larger  type  to  be  written 
upon  a  single  page  -  and  it  is  always  an  advantage  to  have  • 
letter  on  one  sheet  of  paper  -  and  second  because  the  elite 
type,  written  single  space  with  double  spacing  between  the 
paragraphs,  undoubtedly  makes  the  beat  looking  letter.  The 
larger  type  faces  when  written  single  space  not  only  make  a 
'  less  good  looking  letter  but  also  they  .seem  harder  to  read. 
Double  spacing  carries  a  letter  over  too  nuch  paper. 

We  formerly  had  several  sizes  of  letterheads,  fcuti 
we  discovered  that  the  time  taken  by  the  stenographer  tp 
Aecide  whether  she  would  use  &  small  or  a  large  letterhead, 
and  the  cumbersomeness  of  having  more  than  one  sort  of  statioa- 
•ry  at  hand,  much  more  than  overoame  the  alight  saving  In  paper 
that  the  smaller  size  afforded.  Therefore  we  use  only  the  on* 
Bl'ce  of  letterhead  and  try  to  center  the  letter,  changing  th« 
■argin  to  fit  the  circumstances.  We  think  that  in  the  smaller 
type  the  Indented  fora  of  paragraph  is  preferable  to  the  blook 
I  for  A. 

In/ 

Very  truly  yours, 
HtUiR,  FRAIIKLI17,  BASSET  \  CO. 


V;B.BMMtrllQ 


"^m 


.^rraDgement  of  a  business  letter  (indented  form) 
145 


146  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Whether  the  letter  should  have  a  return  card  or 
envelope  depends  upon  circumstances,  as  also  does  the 
inclusion  of  an  illustrated  folder.  The  return  card  is 
more  valuable  with  a  letter  that  goes  to  a  home  than 
with  a  letter  that  goes  to  an  office.  Very  few  men 
with  stenographers  will  bother  with  return  cards — 
their  stenographers  or  secretaries  will  send  a  note. 
On  the  other  hand,  letter-writing  facilities  are  not 
so  easily  available  in  the  usual  home  and  the  card  is 
likely  to  be  used.  The  putting  in  of  a  folder  some- 
times takes  away  from  the  force  of  the  letter.  It  is 
often  better  to  reserve  the  folder  for  a  second  letter 
or  for  answering  an  inquiry.  For  once  the  prospect 
has  written  in  for  more  information  the  whole  pur- 
pose of  the  letter  changes.  The  interest  can  be 
presumed,  and  the  object  of  the  letter  is  to  give  the 
greatest  possible  amount  of  clear  information  to  the 
end  of  causing  action.  Saying  too  much  in  the  first 
letter  may  give  the  reader  an  opportunity  to  reach  a 
conclusion,  when  the  purpose  of  the  first  letter  is 
primarily  to  get  a  name — a  prospective  purchaser. 
Many  a  salesman  kills  a  sale  by  talking  too  much; 
so  does  many  a  sales  letter. 

Sales  and  Announcement  Letters 

To  charge  customers  selling  and  announcement 
letters  are  sent  out  before  the  public  advertising. 
(They  can  also  be  used  as  general  announcements  by 
eliminating  the  portions  referring  particularly  to  the 
charge  accounts.) 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  147 

Announcing  a  sale 

BRICE   &   HASKELL 

SOUTH   MICHIGAN  AVENTJE 

CHICAGO 

Dear  Madam:  July  81.  1922. 

As  one  of  our  regular  patrons,  we  are  telling  you  in  advance 
of  a  coming  big  sale — The  August  Furniture  Sale,  which  will 
begin  Monday,  August  7th.  We  should  like  our  charge  custom- 
ers to  have  first  choice  of  the  interesting  values  before  they  are 
announced  to  the  public.  Therefore  we  shall  have  three  Cour- 
tesy Days,  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  of  this  week,  when 
you  may  come  in  and  make  your  selections  at  the  Sale  Prices. 

Our  guide  in  choosing  furniture  is  our  clientele,  so  we  feel  sure 
you  will  find  the  tj^ie  of  furniture  here  that  pleases  you — and  in 
greater  variety  than  usual  because  we  complete  our  collection 
for  this  event. 

Prices  this  year  are  very  attractive.  They  have  been  reduced 
far  lower  than  you  wiU  anticipate.  We  should  like  you  to  have 
the  advantage  in  these  values  soon,  and  hope  you  will  come  in 
one  of  the  three  Courtesy  Days. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Brice  &  Haskell. 

Following  are  letters  of  slightly  different  type: 

S.    BLACK   COMPANY 
«S   WASHINGTON   STREET 
BOSTON,   MASS. 

- _       .   ,,       -^  April  26,  1920. 

Mrs.  Arthur  Moore, 

1317  Hillside  Avenue, 

Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Madam: 

Our  Spring  Sale  of  Misses'  Suits,  Coats,  Dresses,  and  Hats  will 
begin  Monday,  April  30th,  continuing  throughout  the  week. 


148  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

This  sale  presents  an  unusual  opportunity  to  secure  seasonable 

apparel  at  decided  price  concessions. 

Missss'  butts:  Smartly   tailored   suits   of    English   navy 

serge,  navy  gabardine,  tan  covert  cloth,  im- 
ported mixtures,  homespuns,  and  light- 
weight knit  cloths — adapted  for  town  or 
country  usage.  A  splendid  selection  of  all 
sizes  from  14  to  18  years. 

missis'  coats:  Coats  for  motor,  country  club,  or  town 

wear,  in  soft  velours,  burella  cloth,  and  im- 
ported coatings. 

lassEs'  dresses:  Dresses  of  impKjrted  serges  and  gabardines, 
for  street  wear,  and  a  number  of  exclusive 
knit  cloth  models  in  attractive  colorings  for 
sports  wear — sizes  14  to  18  years. 

misses'  hats:  The  balance  of  our  stock  of  Trimmed  Hats 

at  one  half  their  former  prices. 
On  account  of  the  greatly  reduced  prices,  none  of  these  goods 

will  be  sent  on  approval,  nor  can  they  be  returned  for  credit. 

Very  truly  yours, 

S.  Black  Company. 

Note: 

To  our  charge  customers  is  extended  the  privilege  of  making 
their  selections  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  April  27th  and  28th. 


SWANSON  sons   &   COMPAJfT 

29   SUPERIOR  AVENXTB 

CliEVELAND,  OHIO 

January  16, 1922.  "' 
Dear  Madam: 

We  enclose  advance  announcements  of  our  Private  Sales  of 
Boys'  Heatherweave  Clothes  and  Ironhide  Shoes,  and  we  be- 
lieve you  will  find  the  economies  presented  a  great  relief  after 
your  large  Christmas  outlays. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  149 

Of  course,  such  reductions  mean  that  the  assortments  will 
quickly  be  depleted,  and  we  urge  you  to  act  promptly  in  order  to 
secure  the  fuU  benefit  of  the  available  selections.  To  enable 
you  to  do  this  we  are  telling  you  before  the  public  announcement 
of  these  sales. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Swanson  Sons  &  Company. 

This  letter  encloses  a  proof  of  a  newspaper  adver- 
tisement. 

CALLENDER  &  CRUMP 

2900  EUCLID  AVEXUE 

CLEVELAND,  O. 

September  10, 1922. 
Dear  Madam: 

In  appreciation  of  your  patronage  we  wish  to  extend  to  you  a 
personal  invitation  to  attend  a  private  sale  of  women's  tailor- 
made  fall  suits  (sizes  34  to  46)  in  some  especially  well-chosen 
models.    These  suits  will  be  priced  at  the  very  low  figure  of  $40. 

Our  regular  patrons  may  have  first  selection  before  the  sale  ia 
open  to  the  public,  and  may  thus  avoid  the  discomforts  of  a  pub- 
lic sale. 

We  have  arranged  to  show  these  suits  privately  on  Friday, 
October  3,  in  the  fitting  department  on  the  sixth  floor. 

If  you  care  to  avail  yourself  of  this  special  opportunity,  please 
bring  this  letter  with  you  and  present  it  at  the  fitting  department. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Callender  &  Crump. 

(Note: — An  excellent  idea  when  a  special  offering 
of  foreign  goods  is  made  is  to  have  the  letters  mailed 
from  Paris  or  London.  The  foreign  stamp  will 
usually  attract  attention.) 


150     THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

CALLENDER  &  CRUMP 

2900  EUCLID  AVENUE 

CLEVELAND,  O. 

Paris,  France, 

September  1,  1922. 
Dear  Madam: 

We  wish  to  let  you  know  in  advance  that  our  annual  sale  of 
Real  French  Kid  gloves,  at  89  cents  a  pair,  takes  place  on  Tues- 
day, October  9, 1922. 

To  insure  a  choice  selection  we  suggest  that  you  make  your 
purchases  early  on  that  day. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Callender  &  Crump. 

This  is  an  excellent,  matter-of-fact  letter  that  sets 
out  values: 

LE  FEVRE  BROTHERS 

293  WASHINGTON  BLVD 

DETROIT,  MICH. 

May  11, 1922. 
Mrs.  John  Williams, 
19  Concourse  Ave., 
Detroit,  Mich. 

Madam : 

On  Monday  and  Tuesday,  May  15th  and  16th,  we  shall  hold 
our  ANNUAL  SPRING  CLEARANCE  SALE  of  seasonable  apparel  for 
BOYS,  GIRLS,  and  YOUNG  LADIES,  offering  exceptional  values,  and 
an  unusual  opportunity  to  secure  regular  Le  Fe\Te  productions 
at  lower  prices  than  we  have  been  able  to  offer  for  several  years. 
This  sale  will  include  other  items  which  are  not  enumerated  iu 
this  announcement. 

boys'  wool  NORFOLK  SUITS: 

Sizes  7  to  15  years.    Formerly  up  to  $35.00  Scde  Price  $14.50, 
$18,50,  and  $23.50 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  151 

BOYS*  overcoats: 

Sizes  3  to  7  years.    Formerly  up  to  $32.50  Sale  Price  $14.50 
and  $18.50 

GIBLS'  COATS  AND  CAPES: 

Sizes  3  to  16  years.     Formerly  up  to  $55.00  Sale  Price  $19.50 
and  $29.50 
girls'  WOOL  dresses: 

Sizes  4  to  14  years.    Formerly  up  to  $65.00  Sale  Price  $17.50 
and  $27.50 
TotJNG  ladies'  suits: 

Sizes  14  to  18  years.    Formerly  up  to  $85.00  Sale  Price  $24.50 
and  $39.50 

YOUNG  ladies'  DRESSES: 

Sizes  14  to  18  years.     Formerly  up  to  $70.00  Sale  Price  $22.50 
and  $37.50 

YOUNG  ladies'  COATS  AND  CAPES: 

Sizes  14  to  18  years.    Formerly  up  to  $75.00  Sale  Price  $29.50 
and  $42.50 

girls'  and  YOUNG  LADIES'  TRIMMED  AND  TAILORED  HATS: 

Formerly  up  to  $30.00  Sale  Price  $7.50  and  $12.50 

Sale  goods  will  not  be  sent  on  approval,  exchanged,  nor  can 
they  be  returned  for  credit. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Le  Fevre  Brothers. 

Our  charge  customers  will  have  the  privilege  of  making  their 
purchases  from  this  sale  on  Friday  and  Saturday,  May  12th  and 
13th. 


On  opening  a  store 

This  form  for  the  opening  of  a  new  store  in  a  town 
may  be  used  with  variations  for  a  reopening  after 
improvements. 


152  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 


JAMES  BONNER  &  CO. 
WICHITA,  KAN. 


AprU  14,  1922. 


Mrs.  Henry  Jerome, 
29  Water  St., 

Wichita,  Kan. 
Dear  Madam: 

This  is  a  sale  to  win  friends  for  a  new  store.  We  want  you  to 
see  our  values.  Our  store  is  but  six  weeks  old.  Our  stock  is  just 
the  same  age.  Everything  that  we  have  is  fresh  and  new.  We 
want  you  to  compare  our  qualities  and  prices.  We  are  out  to 
prove  to  the  women  of  Wichita  that  we  can  give  style  and  service 
at  prices  they  wiU  like. 

Will  you  give  us  the  chance  to  get  acquainted? 

Yours  very  truly, 

James  Bonner  &  Co., 
(Handwritten)  L.  Jones, 

Manager. 

Selling  home-made  articles 

19  Waverly  Place, 
Bridgetown,  N.  J,, 
April  5, 1922. 
Dear  Madam: 

Have  you  ever  counted  the  cost  of  making  your  pickles,  jams, 
and  jellies  at  home?  If  you  have,  and  are  satisfied  that  yours  is 
the  cheapest  way,  considering  time,  labor,  and  the  use  of  the  best 
materials,  then  my  product  will  not  appeal  to  you.  But  before 
you  decide,  may  I  ask  you  to  make  a  comparison? 

I  make  at  home  in  large  quantities  and  according  to  the  best 
recipes  gathered  over  years  of  experience,  all  kinds  of  pickles 
and  relishes — sweet,  sour,  dill,  chow-chow,  piccalilli. 

My  special  jams  are  raspberry,  strawberry,  plum,  peach,  and 
quince. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  153 

Crabapple  is  my  best  liked  jelly,  and  red  currant  a  close  second. 

A  very  special  conserve  is  a  grape  and  walnut,  for  which  I 
have  a  large  call,  for  teas. 

The  peaches  I  put  up  in  pint  and  quart  jars. 

I  use  only  the  very  best  vinegar  and  spices. 

My  products  are  made  only  to  order  and  at  the  lowest  possible 
cost.  To  do  this  I  must  get  my  orders  some  time  in  advance  so 
that  I  may  take  advantage  of  attractive  prices  on  fruits  and 
other  ingredients. 

I  append  a  list  of  prices  which  I  charged  last  year.  This  year 
they  will  be  no  higher  and  in  all  probability  less. 

May  I  get  a  small  trial  order  from  you.' 

Very  truly  yours, 
Martha  Walker. 
(Mrs.  William  Walker) 

A  letter  to  recently  married  people  in  moderate  cir^ 
cumstances 

J.   L.   BASCOM  COMPANY 

20   MAIN   STREET 
RICHMOND,   VA. 

May  8, 1922. 
Dear  Madam: 

This  store  is  for  sensible,  saving  people  who  want  to  make 
every  dollar  buy  its  utmost.  But  sometimes  being  sensible  and 
saving  seems  to  mean  just  being  commonplace  and  dowdy.  Ours 
is  not  that  sort  of  a  store. 

We  believe  that  useful  articles  ought  also  to  be  good  looking, 
and  our  buying  has  been  so  skillful  that  we  believe  we  are  safe 
in  saying  that  our  goods  are  not  only  absolutely  dependable  but 
also  will  compare  in  appearance  with  any  goods  anywhere,  re- 
gardless of  price.  We  think  that  this  statement  will  mean  some- 
thing to  you,  for  in  furnishing  a  home,  although  appearance  may 
not  be  everything,  it  is  certainly  a  good  deal.    Between  two 


154  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

articles  of  the  same  durability  the  better-looking  one  is  the 
better. 

It  is  our  aim  not  merely  to  make  home  furnishing  easy  but  to 
make  a  beautiful  home  at  the  price  of  an  ugly  one.  Our  ex- 
perience has  been  that  it  does  not  pay  to  put  into  a  household  any 
article  which  in  a  few  years  you  will  get  so  tired  of  looking  at  that 
you  will  want  to  smash  it  with  a  hatchet.  We  have  the  values 
and  also  we  have  terms  that  are  as  good  as  the  values. 

We  enclose  a  little  booklet  that  will  give  you  a  hint  of  what 
you  can  find  here.  We  cannot  give  you  more  than  a  hint.  The 
best  way  is  to  come  to  the  store.  Tell  us  your  problems,  and  let 
us  aid  you  with  our  experience. 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.  L.  Bascom  Company. . 


Introducing  the  mail  order  department: 

L.   GIRARD  &  CO. 
ST.   LOUIS,  MO. 

April  4, 1922. 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Brown, 

29  Shadyside  Vine  Avenue, 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dear  Madam: 

This  Spring  brings  to  us  many  new  ideas  in  merchandise  that 
our  buyers  have  picked  up  in  their  travels.  In  many  ways  we 
have  now  the  most  interesting  stock  we  have  ever  been  able  to 
show.  It  is  indeed  so  large  and  varied  that  we  shall  hardly  be 
able  to  give  you  more  than  a  suggestion  of  it  in  our  public  ad- 
vertising. 

We  feel  sure  that  we  have  something  which  you  have  been 
looking  for  among  the  splendid  values  in  both  personal  and 
household  necessities. 

You  will  find  that  through  our  individual  shopping  service 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  155 

purchasing  by  mail  is  made  most  convenient  and  entirely  per- 
sonal. 

May  we  look  forward  to  having  again  the  pleasure  of  serving 
you? 

Very  truly  yours, 

L.  Girard  &  Co. 

Announcement  of  overcoats 

THE   BABBOUR  CLOTHING  CO. 

2249   WABASH   AVENUE 

CHICAGO 

October  19,  1921. 
Mr.  Charles  Reid, 
Winnetka,  111. 

My  dear  Sir: 

In  a  couple  of  weeks  you  are  going  to  think  a  good  deal  about 
your  overcoat.    Why  not  start  thinking  now? 

We  are  oflfering  this  year  the  most  complete  line  of  overcoats 
that  we  have  ever  been  able  to  buy.  We  have  found  that  we 
could  buy  absolutely  first-class  coats  at  absolutely  fair  prices. 
We  are  selling  them  on  the  basis  on  which  we  bought  them,  and 
we  bought  a  lot  because  we  think  the  values  will  sell  them. 

The  prices  are  surprisingly  low.  They  range  from  $20  to  $70. 
At  the  lowest  price  we  are  selling  a  coat  which,  if  you  saw  it  on 
the  back  of  a  friend,  you  would  think  cost  at  least  $50.  The 
highest  priced  coat  is  as  good  as  money  can  buy.  If  you  ex- 
pected to  spend  $50  for  a  coat,  you  may  find  that  you  can  get 
what  you  want  for  $20  or  $25,  or  you  may  find  that  you  will 
want  an  even  better  coat  than  you  had  expected  to  buy. 

We  think  that  it  would  be  worth  your  while  to  look  at  this 
stock. 

Very  truly  yours. 

The  Barbour  Clothing  Co, 


156  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Selling  a  farm  product  (can  he  used  for  vegetables,  eggs 
hams,  and  bacon  or  any  farm  product) 

CORN  CENTER 
NEW  JERSEY 

June  1, 1922. 
Dear  Madam: 

Do  you  like  perfectly  fresh  vegetables — ^right  off  the  farm? 

What  kind  of  vegetables  are  you  getting?  Do  you  know  how 
long  ago  they  were  picked? 

Perhaps  you  think  that  you  cannot  have  absolutely  fresh 
vegetables  for  your  table  or  that  it  really  makes  no  difference? 

Did  you  ever  taste  Golden  Bantam  corn  the  same  day  or 
the  day  after  it  was  picked?  Do  you  know  Golden  Bantam  or  is 
com  just  corn?  Do  you  think  that  string  beans  are  just  string 
beans?    And  do  you  know  about  stringless  string  beans? 

I  grow  only  the  thoroughbred  varieties.  I  pick  them  when 
they  are  tender — just  right  for  the  palate.  And  I  send  them  to 
you  the  same  day  that  they  are  picked. 

I  arrange  hampers  according  to  the  size  of  the  family.  The 
prices,  quantities,  and  selections  are  on  the  enclosed  card. 

I  will  deliver  at  your  door  (or  send  by  parcel  post)  every  day, 
every  second  day,  or  as  often  as  you  like.  You  can  have  the  best 
that  is  grown  in  its  best  season  and  as  fresh  as  though  you  were 
living  on  a  farm. 

Try  a  hamper  and  know  what  vegetables  are! 

Very  truly  yours, 
Henry  Raynor. 

Storage  service 

HOWARD  MOTH  PROOF  BAG  CO. 
WINSTED,  CONN. 

_        _  _    ,  May  2,  1922. 

Dear  Madam: 

Have  you  ever  taken  your  best  coat  to  an  "invisible  mender" 
and  paid  him  ten  dollars  to  have  him  mend  two  moth  holes? 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  157 

Have  you  ever  gone  to  your  trunk  to  take  out  your  furs  and 
found  that  the  moths  had  got  into  them?  Sometimes  they  are  so 
badly  eaten  that  they  are  utterly  hopeless  and  must  be  thrown 
away. 

All  this  trouble,  disappointment,  and  expense  can  be  avoided 
if  you  will  only  take  the  precaution  this  spring  to  put  away  your 
clothing  and  furs  in  the  Howard  Moth  Proof  Garment  Bags. 
Strongly  constructed  of  a  heavy  and  durable  cedar  paper,  and 
made  absolutely  moth-proof  by  our  patented  closing  device,  the 
Howard  bag  provides  absolute  protection  against  moths. 

As  the  Howard  bag  comes  in  several  sizes,  from  the  suit  size, 
ranging  through  the  overcoat,  ulster,  and  automobile  sizes,  and 
as  each  bag  has  room  for  several  garments,  you  can  surely  have 
protection  for  all  your  clothing  at  small  cost.  The  hook  by 
which  the  bag  is  hung  up  is  securely  stapled  in  place  by  brass 
rivets.  This  bag  is  so  strong  and  so  well  designed  for  service 
that  it  will  with  care  last  for  several  years. 
Very  truly  yours 

The  Howard  Moth-Proof  Bag  Co. 

A  type  of  Christmas  sales  letter 

THE  PINK  SHOP 

40  MAIN  STREET 

GRAND  RAPIDS,  MICH. 

November  28, 1922. 
Dear  Madam : 

This  is  your  opportunity  to  get  a  lot  of  fine  Christmas  stock- 
ings at  very  low  cost — if  you  order  at  once. 

The  "Camille"  is  made  of  beautiful  thread  silk  richly  hand 
embroidered.     It  comes  in  black  or  white,  all  silk. 

The  "Diana"  is  a  silk  stocking  with  lisle  top  and  soles.  It  is 
a  fine  wearing  stocking  and  comes  in  all  street  shades. 

The  "Juliet"  is  especially  attractive  as  a  gift  for  a  girl  friend. 
These  stockings  are  clocked  and  have  all  silk  feet  and  lisle  tops., 


158  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

The  colors  ai«  black,  beige,  and  taupe.  They  are  especially 
good  looking  worn  with  saddle  pumps. 

The  "Evening  Mist"  is  a  fascinating  stocking  for  evening 
wear.  It  is  sheer,  almost  cobwebby,  and  will  enhance  any  even- 
ing gown.  The  colors  are  gold,  silver,  light  blue,  corn,  pale 
green,  black,  and  white.     It  is  splendid  for  a  gift  stocking. 

The  "Priscilla"  is  an  excellent  stocking  for  everyday  hard 
wear.  It  is  of  heavy  lisle,  full  fashioned  and  fast  color — black 
or  tan. 

Send  your  order  off  now.  You  will  have  the  advantage  of  an 
early  selection.  Attractive  prices  are  quoted  in  the  circular 
enclosed.    The  big  holiday  rush  will  soon  be  on. 

Make  up  your  order  for  stockings  for  Christmas  giving,  attach 
remittance  for  amount  and  mail  to-day.  Your  order  will  be 
filled  promptly  and  if  everything  does  not  fully  satisfy  you,  you 
may  return  it  and  get  your  money  back. 

Yours  very  truly. 

The  Pmk  Shop. 


An  aviomobUe  announcement 

MEMPraS  AUTO   SUPPLY  CO. 

29   MAPLE   AVENUE 

MEMPHIS,   TENN. 

March  16,  1924. 
Dear  Sir: 

Just  a  few  weeks  and  spring  will  be  here.  That  means  pleasure 
motoring. 

When  you  are  getting  ready  for  this  new  season,  you  may  find 
that  you  will  need  certain  things  for  your  car — p)erhaps  a  new 
tire,  or  a  pair  of  pliers,  or  an  inner  tube.  But  whatever  it  is,  re- 
member that  our  new  stock  of  accessories  is  here  and  we  believe 
that  we  can  supply  you  with  anything  you  will  need. 

In  inviting  you  to  give  us  part  of  your  trade,  we  give  you  thiai 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  159 

assurance:  If  any  article  you  buy  from  us  is  not  entirely  right, 
we  will  return  your  money. 
We  hope  to  see  you  soon. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Memphis  Auto  Supply  Co. 

Changing  from  a  credit  to  a  cash  plan  {Should  be  in 
the  nature  of  a  personal  letter) 

PELLETIER   &  CO. 

142   CASCO   STREET 

PORTLAND,  ME. 

February  1, 1922. 
Mrs.  John  Troy, 
14  Ocean  Ave., 
Portland,  Me. 

Dear  Madam: 

When  this  store  was  opened  ten  years  ago,  we  believed  that 
our  service  would  be  the  most  effective  if  we  operated  on  a  credit 
basis.  Therefore  we  solicited  charge  accounts,  of  course  taking 
extreme  care  that  only  people  of  known  integrity  and  substance 
should  be  on  our  books.  We  have  had  the  privilege  of  serving 
you  through  such  an  account. 

There  are  two  fundamental  methods  of  conducting  a  retail 
business.  The  one  is  on  the  cash  and  the  other  is  on  the  credit 
plan.  In  the  cash  plan  all  goods  are  either  paid  for  at  the  time 
of  purchase  or  at  the  time  of  delivery.  In  the  credit  plan,  those 
who  have  not  credit  or  do  not  care  to  use  credit  pay  cash;  those 
who  have  credit  rating  charge  their  purchases  and  bills  are 
rendered  monthly.  Credit  was  not  extended  by  the  store  as 
a  favor;  it  formed  part  of  a  way  of  doing  business.  The  favor 
is  on  the  part  of  the  customer.  The  charge  system  has  many 
advantages,  principally  in  the  way  of  permitting  the  store  to 
know  its  customers  better  than  it  could  otherwise.    The  dis-» 


160  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

advantage  of  the  credit  basis  is  the  expense  of  bookkeeping  which, 
of  course,  has  to  be  added  into  the  price  of  the  goods  sold.  Our 
losses  through  unpaid  bills  have  been  negligible.  Our  customers 
are  honest.  But  it  has  seemed  unfair  that  the  customer  who 
pays  cash  should  have  to  bear  the  cost  of  the  credit  accounts. 

As  our  business  has  worked  out  more  than  fifty  per  cent,  of  our 
whole  trade  is  on  the  cash  basis.  After  careful  consideration  we 
have  finally  decided  to  go  entirely  upon  a  cash  footing  in  order 
that  we  may  further  reduce  our  costs  of  doing  business  and  hence 
our  prices  to  you.  We  think  that  in  such  fashion  we  can  better 
serve  you.  Therefore,  on  July  1st,  which  marks  the  end  of  our 
fiscal  year,  we  shall  go  upon  an  exclusively  cash  basis  and  no 
longer  maintain  charge  accounts. 

We  think  that  you  will  agree  when  you  see  the  savings  re- 
flected in  lower  prices  for  the  highest  grade  of  goods  that  the 
change  in  policy  b  a  wise  one  and  that  you  will  continue  to  favor 
us  with  your  patronage. 

Very  truly  yours, 
PeUetier  &  Co., 
(Handwritten)  C.  Brovm, 
Credit  Manager. 

Keeping  the  Customer 
Thanking  a  new  customer 

lARUE   BROTHERS 
SAINT  LOUIS,   MO. 

October  4, 192S. 
Mrs.  Lee  WTiite, 
29  Main  Street, 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dear  Madam : 

The  purchase  which  you  made  yesterday  is  the  first  that  we 
have  had  the  pleasure  of  recording  for  your  account  and  we  want 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  161 

to  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  you  for  the  confidence  that  you 
repose  in  us  and  to  hope  that  it  will  be  the  beginning  of  a  long  and 
happy  relation. 

We  shall,  from  time  to  time,  send  you  bulletins  of  our  special 
offerings  and  we  believe  that  you  will  be  interested  in  them. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  J.  M.  Briggs, 

Credit  Manager, 
Larue  Brothers. 

Where  a  charge  account  has  been  inactive 

a.   BLACK  COMPANT 
28  WASHINGTON   STREET 
BOSTON,  MASS. 

February  5, 1921. 
Mr.  Tudor  Sweet, 

24  Commonwealth  Ave., 
Boston,  Mass. 

l)earSir: 

t 

We  have  just  been  looking  over  our  books  and  are  sorry  to 
learn  that  you  have  not  given  us  your  patronage  for  some 
time  past. 

We  feel  that  something  may  have  gone  wrong  to  have  caused 
you  to  discontinue  trading  at  our  store. 

If  you  are  not  fully  satisfied  with  anything  you  bought  from 
us,  remember  that  we  are  always  eager  and  ready  to  adjust  the 
matter  to  your  satisfaction.  We  shall  certainly  appreciate  it  if 
you  will  write  to  us  and  tell  us  frankly  just  what  the  trouble  has 
been.     Will  you  use  the  inclosed  envelope  to  let  us  know? 

Yours  truly, 

S.  Black  Company, 
(Handwritten)  George  Sims, 

Credit  Manager. 


162  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

A.   B.   SWEETSER   &   CO. 

4000   MAIN   STREET 

COLUMBUS,   O. 

June  8, 1922. 

Mrs.  Arthur  Thomas, 
25  Spruce  Avenue, 
Columbus,  O. 

Dear  Madam: 

Does  our  store  please  you.'  Sometime  ago  it  probably  did 
and  3'ou  had  an  account  with  us,  but  we  find  with  regret  that 
you  have  not  used  it  lately.  If  we  disappointed  you,  or  if  some- 
thing went  wrong  and  possibly  your  complaint  was  not  properly 
attended  to,  we  are  extremely  anxious  to  know  about  it. 

Perhaps  there  was  some  lack  of  courtesy,  some  annoying  error 
in  your  bill  which  we  were  exasperatingly  obtuse  in  rectifying.' 
Were  we  stupid  in  filling  some  order  or  did  we  delay  in  delivery? 
Perhaps  we  did  not  have  just  what  you  were  looking  for,  or  our 
prices  seemed  higher  than  elsewhere. 

Whatever  the  diflSculty,  we  do  want  you  to  know  that  we  try 
to  stand  for  good  service — to  supply  promptly  what  you  want 
at  the  price  you  want  to  pay,  and  always  to  conduct  our  business 
with  an  unfailing  courtesy  which  will  make  your  shopping  a 
pleasure. 

Being  a  woman  I  may  understand  your  point  of  view  a  little 
better.  Will  you  be  quite  frank  and  tell  me  why  you  do  not  buy 
from  Sweetser's  now?  Either  write  or  call  me  on  the  telephone- 
or,  better  still,  if  you  are  in  our  neighborhood,  can  you  come  in 
to  see  me? 

The  information  booth  is  at  the  door  and  I  can  be  found  in  a 
minute.    It  might  help  to  talk  things  over. 

Sincerely  yours, 
(Handwritten)  Mrs.  Margaret  B.  Williams^ 
Courtesy  Manager, 

A.  B.  Sweetser  &  Co. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  163 


MEYER,  HASKELL  &  CO. 
230  ELM  STREET 
BLOOMFIELD,  ILL. 


March  8, 1923. 


Mrs.  Bruce  Wells, 
19  Dwight  Ave., 
Bloomfield,  El. 

Dear  Madam : 

We  very  much  regret  that  you  do  not  use  more  often  your 
charge  account  at  our  store,  and  we  hope  it  is  not  due  to  any  lack 
on  our  part  of  prompt  and  intelligent  service. 

We  know  that  with  our  large  and  well-assorted  stocks  of  mer- 
chandise and  competent  organization  we  ought  to  be  able  to 
supply  your  needs  to  your  complete  satisfaction.  One  of  five 
stores,  we  have  great  opportunities  for  advantageous  buying  and 
we  can  continually  undersell  others. 

In  this  connection  permit  us  to  call  your  attention  to  our  newly 
installed  telephone  order  department.  This  department  is  in 
charge  of  competent  house  shoppers,  whose  duty  it  is  to  satisfy 
your  every  want,  thus  enabling  our  charge  patrons  to  shop  by 
telephone  with  perfect  certainty. 

We  feel  that  these  advantages  may  appeal  to  you  and  result 
in  our  receiving  your  orders  more  often. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  T.  Hunter, 

Credit  Manager, 

Meyer  JHaskell  &  Co. 

Selling  Real  Estate 

There  are  two  phases  in  the  writing  of  letters  con- 
cerning the  sale  of  real  estate.  The  first  phase  has 
to  do  with  the  presentation  of  the  proposal  in  order  to 
arouse  sufficient  interest  in  the  mind  of  the  prospect 


164  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

to  cause  him  to  msi>ect  the  property.  Compara- 
tively little  real  estate  is  sold  without  personal  in- 
spection. The  exceptions  are  offerings  of  low-priced 
building  sites  in  distant  sections  of  the  country. 
These  are  sold  sight  unseen — else,  as  a  rule,  they 
would  never  be  sold  at  all.  But  such  real  estate 
selling  is  more  apt  to  be  in  the  class  with  fake  mining 
stock  than  with  legitimate  buying  and  seUing,  and 
therefore  has  no  place  here. 

The  second  phase  of  letters  on  real  estate  compre- 
hends the  closing  of  the  sale.  For  instance,  let  us 
say  that  John  Hope  has  gone  so  far  as  to  look  at  a 
property.  He  apparently  wants  to  buy  the  property 
or  is  at  least  interested,  but  the  price  and  conditions 
of  sale  do  not  exactly  suit  him.  He  is  so  situated 
that  he  does  not  want  to  talk  personally  with  an 
agent,  or  perhaps  hves  too  far  away.  At  any  rate, 
the  sale  has  to  be  closed  by  mail.  The  fact  which 
most  concerns  the  buyer  of  real  estate,  provided  he 
is  otherwise  satisfied  with  a  property,  is  the  title. 
The  title  is  the  legal  term  by  which  is  denoted  the 
exact  character  of  the  ownership.  Quite  frequently 
an  owner  may  believe  that  he  has  a  clear  title  when, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  his  title  is  derived  through  some 
testamentary  instrument  which  gives  him  a  holding 
only  for  life,  or  perhaps  trusts  have  been  set  up  in  the 
will  which  are  a  charge  upon  the  property,  although 
all  of  the  beneficiaries  of  the  trust  have  been  long 
since  dead.  There  are  many  hundreds  of  possible 
legal  compHcations  affecting  the  validity  of  the  titl© 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  165 

and  it  is  usual  to-day  to  have  titles  insured  and,  in 
agreeing  to  buy,  to  specify  that  the  "title  must  be 
marketable  and  insurable  by  a  reputable  title  in- 
surance company.'*  The  word  "marketable"  as 
here  used  means  a  title  which  is  unquestionable.  The 
prospective  buyer  must  also  be  careful  to  specify 
that  the  title  shall  be  "free  and  clear'*  and  that  all 
taxes  shall  be  apportioned  to  the  day  of  settlement. 
Otherwise  the  buyer  would  have  to  take  title  subject 
to  a  lien  of  any  judgments  or  other  liens  of  record 
and  also  subject  to  unpaid  taxes. 

A  real  estate  transaction  may  be  very  complicated 
indeed,  and  it  is  wise  for  a  buyer  to  take  precautions 
to  the  end  of  seeing  that  he  purchases  a  piece  of  real 
property  rather  than  a  right  to  a  lawsuit.  Most 
letters  offering  real  estate  for  sale  are  written  in  re- 
sponse to  inquiries  generated  by  an  advertisement. 
The  letter  offering  the  property  is  designed  to  bring, 
forth  a  visit  from  the  inquirer.  Therefore  only  the 
information  which  seems  best  adapted  to  bring  about 
that  visit  should  go  into  the  letter.  The  temptation 
is  to  tell  too  much,  and  the  danger  of  telling  too  much 
is  that  one  may  inadvertently  force  a  negative  con- 
clusion. It  is  better  to  keep  down  to  the  bare,  al- 
though complete,  description  rather  than  to  attempt 
any  word  painting.  The  description  is  best  supple- 
mented by  one  or  several  photographs. 

The  important  points  to  be  summarized  are  the 
situation  of  the  house,  the  architectural  style,  the 
material  of  which  it  is  constructed,  the  number  o^ 


166  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

rooms,  and  the  size  of  the  lot,  with  of  course  a  descrip- 
tion of  any  stable,  garage,  or  other  substantial  out- 
buildings. These  are  the  elementary  points  of  the 
description.  One  may  then  summarize  the  number 
and  size  of  the  rooms,  including  the  bathrooms, 
laundry,  and  kitchen,  the  closet  spaces,  fireplaces,  the 
lighting,  the  roofing,  the  floors,  the  porches,  and  the 
decorating.  The  most  effective  letter  is  always  the 
one  that  catalogues  the  features  rather  than  describes 
them. 


An  agent  asking  for  a  list  of  property 

JONES  REALTY   CO. 
HARRISBUBG.  PA. 

April  3, 1924. 
Mr.  James  Renwick, 
126  Pelham  Road, 
Westville,  Pa. 

My  dear  Sir: 

I  am  constantly  having  inquiries  from  people  who  want  to 
buy  property  in  your  immediate  vicinity,  and  I  am  writing  to 
learn  whether  you  would  give  me  the  opportunity  to  dispose  of 
your  property  for  you,  if  I  can  obtain  an  entirely  satisfactory 
price.  If  you  will  name  the  price  and  the  terms  at  which  you 
would  sell,  I  should  be  glad  to  put  the  property  on  my  list  and  I 
believe  that  I  can  make  a  sale. 

It  would  be  helpful  if  I  had  a  good  description  of  the  property 
and  also  one  or  two  good  photographs.  Of  course  if  you  list 
the  proi)erty  with  me  that  will  not  bar  you  from  listing  it  with 
any  other  broker  unless  you  might  care  to  put  it  exclusively  in 
my  hands  for  disposal.    My  commission  is  2^%,  the  same  as^ 


THE  BUSINEjSS  LETTER  167 

charged  by  other  brokers  in  this  vicinity,  and  I  know  from, 
experience  that  I  can  give  you  satisfactory  service. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Henry  Jones. 

From  an  owner  instructing  an  agent  to  list  property 

126  Pelham  Road, 
Westville,  Pa., 
May  6,  1922. 
Mr.  Henry  Jones, 

Jones  Realty  Co., 
Harrisburg,  Pa. 

My  dear  Sir: 

I  have  your  letter  of  May  8rd  and  I  am  entirely  willing  that 
you  should  list  my  property  for  sale,  although  I  do  not  want  a 
"For  Sale"  sign  displayed  nor  do  I  want  the  property  inspected 
while  I  am  in  it  unless  by  a  previously  arranged  appointment. 

I  enclose  a  description  and  a  photograph.  I  will  take  $25,000 
for  the  place,  of  which  $10,000  has  to  be  paid  in  cash.  I  am  will- 
ing to  hold  a  second  mortgage  of  $5,000  and  there  is  $10,000  al- 
ready against  the  place,  which  can  remain. 

Very  truly  yours, 
James  Renwick. 

Selling  a  property  by  mail 

1437  Lawrence  Street, 
Greenville,  N.  Y., 
AprU  20, 1921. 
Mr.  George  A,  Allen, 
789  Fourth  Avenue, 
HUlside,  N.  Y. 

My  dear  Sir: 

I  have  your  letter  of  April  17th  asking  for  further  particulars 
on  the  property  which  I  advertised  for  sale  in  last  Sunday's 


168  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Republic.  I  think  that  by  inspecting  this  property  you  can 
gain  a  much  clearer  idea  of  its  desirability  than  I  can  possibly 
convey  to  you  in  a  letter.  If  you  will  telephone  to  me,  I  will 
arrange  any  appointment  that  suits  your  convenience. 

The  house  is  ten  years  old — that  is,  it  was  built  when  ma- 
terials and  workmanship  were  first-class.  It  has  been  kept  up 
by  the  owner,  has  never  been  rented,  and  is  to-day  a  more 
valuable  house  than  when  it  was  originally  constructed.  It  is 
three  stories  in  height,  contains  fifteen  rooms,  four  bathrooms, 
breakfast  porch,  sun  porch,  children's  breakfast  porch,  a  laundry, 
butler's  pantry,  a  storage  pantry,  and  a  refrigerator  pantry.  It 
stands  on  a  plot  of  ground  150  x  200  feet,  which  has  been  laid 
out  in  lawn  and  gardens,  and  in  fact  there  are  several  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  well-chosen  and  well-placed  plants,  including 
many  evergreens  and  rhododendrons.  The  trim  of  the  house, 
including  the  floors,  is  hard  wood  throughout,  and  the  decorations 
are  such  that  nothing  whatsoever  would  have  to  be  done  before 
occupancy. 

I  enclose  two  photographs.  The  owner's  price  is  $60,000,  and 
I  know  that  he  would  be  willing  to  arrange  terms. 

Very  truly  yours, 
R.  A.  Smith. 

(Note — ^Essentially  the  same  letter  could  be  written 
offering  the  house  for  rental,  furnished  or  unfur- 
nished, as  the  case  might  be.) 

49  Main  Street, 
Albany,  N.  Y., 
October  8, 1924. 
Mr.  Henry  Grimes, 
CatskiU,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

The  business  property  that  I  offered  for  sale  in  yesterday's 
Repvklic  and  concerning  which  I  have  a  letter  from  you  this 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  169 

morning  is  particularly  well  suited  for  a  specialty  shop  or  any 
kind  of  a  store  that  would  be  benefited  by  the  passing  of  large 
numbers  of  people  before  its  show  windows.  It  is  located  at  the 
comer  of  Third  and  Main  Streets  with  a  frontage  of  thirty  feet 
on  Main  Street  and  runs  back  seventy  feet  on  Third  Street. 
There  is  one  large  show  window  on  Main  Street  and  two  on 
Third  Street. 

It  is  a  three-story  brick  structure,  solidly  built,  and  the  upper 
floors,  if  they  could  not  be  used  for  your  own  purposes,  will  as 
they  stand  bring  a  rental  of  $200  a  month  each,  and  with  a  few 
changes  could  probably  be  leased  at  a  higher  amount.  They 
are  at  present  leased  at  the  above  figures,  but  the  leases  will 
expire  on  January  1st.  Both  tenants  are  willing  to  renew.  By 
actual  count  this  property  is  on  the  third  busiest  corner  in  town. 

If  you  are  interested,  I  should  like  to  discuss  the  price  and 
terms  with  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Henry  Eltinge. 

Offering  a  farm  for  sale 

Goschen,  Ohio, 
R.  F.  D.  5, 
May  5, 1922. 
Mr.  Harry  More,  ^ 

Bridgeton,  Ohio. 

Dear  Sir: 

I  am  glad  to  get  your  letter  inquiring  about  my  farm.  I  am 
acting  as  my  own  agent  because  I  thmk  it  is  a  farm  that  will  sell 
itself  on  inspection  and  I  would  rather  split  the  commission  with 
the  buyer  than  with  a  middle-man. 

The  farmhouse,  barns,  and  dairy  are  good,  substantial  frame 
buildings,  and  they  have  been  well  painted  every  second  season. 
There  is  nothing  to  be  done  to  them.  The  house  has  six  rooms 
and  a  large,  dry  cellar.    The  water  is  soft  and  there  is  plenty  of 


170  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

it.  The  bam  is  60  by  50;  the  poultry  house  is  a  big  one  that  I 
buUt  myself.    The  sheds  are  all  in  first-class  condition. 

This  farm  contains  240  acres,  two  miles  from  Goschen,  Ohio, 
and  there  is  a  state  road  leading  into  town  and  to  the  railroad. 
We  have  rural  delivery  and  telephone.  The  land  is  high  and  in 
first-class  cultivation.  The  orchard  has  been  kept  up  and  there 
are  well-established  strawberry  and  asparagus  beds. 

You  will  not  find  a  better  farm  of  its  kind  than  this  one.  I 
have  made  a  living  off  it  for  twelve  years  and  anybody  else  can, 
but  the  only  way  for  you  really  to  find  out  what  the  place 
amounts  to  is  to  come  down  yourself  and  look  it  over.  If  you  will 
let  me  know  when  you  expect  to  come  I  will  meet  you  at  the 
station  in  my  automobile. 

The  price  is  ten  thousand  dollars.  There  is  a  mortgage  of 
$2,500  that  can  remain,  and,  other  things  being  satisfactory,  we 
can  arrange  the  down  payment  and  the  terms  for  the  balance.    • 

Very  truly  yours, 
John  Hope. 


Accepting  an  offer, 

340  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa., 
Dec.  15,  1922. 
Mr.  Joseph  Barlow, 
Haines  Crossing, 
Delaware. 

Dear  Sir: 

I  have  your  letter  of  December  12th  offering  to  sell  to  me  the 
prop)erty  that  we  have  been  discussing  for  $15,000  of  which 
$3,000  is  to  be  in  cash,  $5,000  to  remain  on  three-year  mortgage 
at  six  per  cent.,  and  the  remaining  $7,000  to  be  cared  for  by  the 
present  mortgage  in  that  amount  and  which  I  understand  has 
four  years  yet  to  run. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  171 

I  accept  your  offer  as  stated  by  you,  with  the  provision  of 
course  that  I  shall  receive  a  clear  and  marketable  title,  insurable 
by  a  real  estate  title  company,  and  that  all  taxes  shall  be  adjusted 
as  of  the  day  of  settlement,  which  settlement  is  to  take  place 
three  months  from  to-day.  If  you  will  have  a  contract  of  sale 
drawn,  I  shall  execute  it  and  at  the  same  time  hand  you  my 
check  for  five  hundred  dollars  as  the  consideration  for  the  con- 
tract of  purchase. 

This  letter  is  written  in  the  assumption  that  the  dimensions 
of  the  property  are  such  as  have  been  represented  to  me. 

I  am 

Very  truly  yours, 
Martin  Fields. 

(Note — The  above  letter  replying  to  an  offer  to  sell 
would  of  itself  close  the  contract  and  the  formal  con- 
tract of  sale  is  unnecessary.  A  contract  is,  however, 
advisable  because  it  includes  all  the  terms  within  a 
single  sheet  of  paper  and  therefore  makes  for  secur- 
ity.) 

Letter  inquiring  as  to  what  may  he  had 

534  Gramercy  Park, 
February  8,  1923. 
Home  Development  Co., 
Hastings,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

I  am  writing  to  leam  what  property  you  have  listed  in  your 
vicinity  that  would  seem  to  meet  my  particular  requirements. 
I  want  a  house  of  not  less  than  ten  rooms,  with  some  ground 
around  it  and  not  more  than  fifteen  minutes  from  the  railroad 
station.  The  house  must  contain  at  least  two  bathrooms,  have 
«  good  heating  plant,  and  either  be  in  first-class  condition  or 


m  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

offered  at  a  price  that  would  permit  me  to  put  it  in  first-clasa 
condition  without  nmning  into  a  great  deal  of  money.  I  am 
willing  to  pay  between  ten  and  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

Will  you  send  me  a  list  of  properties  that  you  can  suggest  a? 
possibly  being  suitable? 

Very  tndy  yours, 

Julian  Henderson. 

Renting  apartments 

YOUNG  &  REYNOLDS 
48  GREEN  STREET 
BROOKLYN,  N.  T. 

May  15,  1923. 
Mr.  Robert  Pardee, 
29  Prentiss  Place, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

Your  name  has  been  handed  to  me  as  one  who  might  be  in- 
terested in  leasing  one  of  the  extremely  attractive  apartments  ia 
the  Iroquois  at  Number  20  East  Third  Street,  which  will  be 
ready  for  occupancy  on  September  15th. 

I  enclose  a  descriptive  folder  which  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the 
grounds  that  we  have  for  basing  our  claim  that  this  is  the  most 
convenient  apartment  house  that  has  ever  been  erected.  The 
apartments  vary  in  size,  as  you  will  see  on  the  plan,  and  for  long 
leases  we  can  arrange  any  combination  of  rooms  that  may  be 
desired.  These  features  are  common  to  all  of  the  apartments. 
Every  bedroom  has  a  private  bathroom.  Every  living  and 
dining  room  contains  an  open  fireplace,  and  every  apartment, 
no  matter  what  its  size,  is  connected  with  a  central  kitchen  so 
that  service  may  be  had  equivalent  to  that  of  any  hotel  and  at 
any  hour  from  seven  in  the  morning  until  midnight.  There  is  a 
complete  hotel  service,  all  of  which  is  entirely  optional  with 
the  tenant. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  173 

We  invite  your  insj)ection.  A  number  of  the  apartments 
have  already  been  leased,  but  many  desirable  ones  still  remain 
^nd  an  early  selection  will  permit  of  decoration  according  to 
your  own  wishes  in  ample  time  for  the  opening  of  the  building. 
The  renting  oflBce  is  on  the  premises. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Young  &  Reynolds. 


Bank  Letters 

The  qualities  which  make  a  bank  popular  in  a 
community  are,  first,  safety;  second,  intelligence; 
and  third,  courtesy.  One  bank  has  potentially 
nothing  more  to  offer  than  has  another  bank,  except- 
ing that  of  course  a  very  large  bank  has  a  greater 
capacity  for  making  loans  than  has  a  small  bank. 
The  amount  which  by  law  a  bank  may  lend  is  defi- 
liitely  fixed  by  the  resources  of  the  bank. 

However,  this  is  not  a  question  of  particular  con- 
cern here,  for  very  large  and  important  accounts  are 
never  gained  through  letter  writing.  The  field  that 
can  be  reached  through  letters  comprises  the  sub- 
stantial householder,  the  moderate-sized  man  in 
business,  and  the  savings  depositor.  A  bank  has  no 
bargains  to  offer.  What  a  man  or  a  woman  princi- 
pally asks  about  a  bank  is:  "Will  my  money  be  safe? 
Will  my  affairs  be  well  looked  after.'*  Shall  I  be 
treated  courteously  when  I  go  into  the  bank?'*  The 
answers  to  these  questions  should  be  found  in  the 
conduct  of  the  bank  itself. 


174  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

A  bank  is  not  a  frivolous  institution.  Therefore 
its  stationery  and  the  manner  of  its  correspondence 
should  be  eminently  dignified.  It  must  not  draw 
comparisons  between  the  service  it  oifers  and  the 
service  any  other  bank  offers.  It  must  not  make 
flamboyant  statements.  Neither  may  it  use  slang,  for 
slang  connotes  in  the  minds  of  many  a  certain  care- 
lessness that  does  not  make  for  confidence.  Above 
all,  a  bank  cannot  afford  to  be  entertaining  or  funny 
in  its  soliciting  letters.  The  best  bank  letter  is  us- 
ually a  short  one,  and  it  has  been  found  effective  to 
enclose  a  well-designed,  well-printed  card  or  folder 
setting  out  some  of  the  services  of  the  bank,  its  re- 
sources, and  its  officers.  Bank  solicitation  is  very 
different  from  any  other  kind  of  solicitation. 


Soliciting  savings  accounts 

GUARDIAN  TRUST  CO. 
BATVIIiliE,   N.   J. 

January  15, 1922. 
Mr.  George  Dwight, 
Bayville,  N.  J. 

Dear  Sir: 

Some  time  ago  we  delivered  to  you  a  little  home  safe  for  savings, 
and  we  are  writing  to  learn  how  you  are  making  out  with  it. 
Have  you  saved  as  much  as  you  had  expected?  Are  you  waiting 
to  get  a  certain  sum  before  bringing  it  in  to  be  credited  in  your 
passbook? 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  175 

We  are  often  asked  if  it  is  necessary  to  fill  a  home  safe  before 
bringing  it  in  to  have  the  contents  deposited,  and  we  always  rec- 
ommend that  the  bank  be  brought  in  at  regular  intervals,  re- 
gardless of  the  amount  saved,  for  you  know  the  money  begins 
to  earn  interest  only  when  it  is  deposited  with  us. 

We  give  to  small  deposits  the  same  careful  attention  we  give 
to  large  deposits,  so  we  suggest  that  you  bring  in  and  deposit 
whatever  you  have  saved.  That  will  make  a  start,  and  once 
started  it  is  truly  surprising  how  quickly  a  bank  accoimt  rolls  up. 

I  hope  that  we  may  have  the  benefit  of  your  patronage. 

Very  truly  yours. 

The  Guardian  Trust  Company, 
(Handwritten)        J.  D.  Wallace, 
Secretary. 


Where  a  savings  account  is  inactive 

GUARDIAN  TRUST  CO. 
BATVILLE,  N.  J. 

August  10, 1922. 
Mr.  George  Dwight, 
Bayville,  N.  J. 

Dear  Sir: 

A  little  home  bank  may  be  made  a  power  for  good. 

It  can  accomplish  nothing  by  itself,  standing  imused  in  an 
out-of-the-way  place. 

It  can  only  be  an  assistant  to  the  saver. 

It  can  assist  your  boy  and  girl  to  great  things. 

It  can  assist  you  in  daily  economies  up)on  which  big  results 
are  often  built. 

It  cannot  furnish  the  initiative,  but  it  can  be  a  constant  re- 
minder and  an  ever-ready  recipient. 

Why  not  use  the  little  bank  we  delivered  to  you  when  you 


176  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

opened  your  savings  account  with  us  to  teach  the  children  ta 
save,  or  to  collect  together  small  amounts  for  yourself. 
Why  not? 

Very  tnily  yours, 
(Handwritten)        J.  D.  Wallace, 
Secretary. 


Checking  accounts 
A  letter  soliciting  a  home  account: 

GUARDIAN"  TRUST  CO. 
POUGHKEEPSIE,  N.  Y. 

October  14, 1923.  " 

Mrs.  Hester  Wickes, 
59  Market  Street, 

Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Madam: 

!  Do  you  ever  have  arguments  over  bills  that  you  have  paid  in 
cash?  Do  you  always  remember  to  get  a  receipt?  Do  you 
find  it  a  nuisance  to  carry  cash?  Do  you  know  that  it  is  danger- 
ous to  keep  much  cash  in  the  house? 

There  can  be  no  dispute  about  an  account  if  you  pay  it  with 
a  bank  check.  Your  cancelled  check  is  a  perfect  receipt. 
More  than  that,  your  bank  book  shows  you  when,  how  much, 
and  to  whom  you  have  paid  money.  It  is  not  only  the  easy  way 
of  paying  bills  but  the  safe  way.  You  escape  all  the  danger  of 
carrying  or  having  in  the  house  more  than  mere  pocket  money. 
You  will  find  by  opening  a  checking  account  with  us  not  only 
the  advantages  of  paying  by  check  but  you  will  also  discover 
many  conveniences  and  services  which  we  are  able  to  offer  to 
you  without  any  charge  whatsoever. 

I  hope  that  you  will  call  and  let  us  explain  our  services.    I, 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  177 

enclose  a  folder  telling  you  more  about  the  bank  than  I  have  been 
able  to  tell  in  this  letter. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(B[andwTitten)  J.  D.  Wallace, 
Secretary. 

P.S.  We  have  some  very  attractive  styles  in  pocket  check  books 
that  might  interest  you. 


Soliciting  a  commercial  account 

THE  LOGANSBURG  NATIONAL  BANK 
liOGANSBURO,   WIS. 

April  15, 1921. 

Mr.  Fred  Haynes, 
21  Nassau  Street, 

Logansburg,  Wis. 

Dear  Sir: 

Every  man  in  business  is  entitled  to  an  amoimt  of  credit  ac- 
commodation in  accordance  with  his  resources.  It  is  one  of  the 
functions  of  this  bank  to  help  the  business  of  the  community  by 
extending  credit  to  those  who  make  the  business  for  the  com- 
munity. We  are  here  to  be  of  service  and  we  should  like  to 
serve  you. 

I  enclose  a  folder  giving  the  latest  statement  of  the  resources 
of  the  bank  and  something  about  the  organization.  Will  you 
not  drop  in  some  time  and  at  least  permit  us  to  beconae  ac- 
quainted? 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  R.  T.  Newell, 
President 


178  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

General  services 

Trust  companies  and  national  banks  are  very 
generally  extending  their  services  to  cover  the  ad' 
ministration  of  decedents'  estates,  to  advise  upon 
investments,  to  care  for  property,  and  to  offer  expert 
tax  services.  In  most  cases,  these  services  are  set 
out  in  booklets  and  the  letter  either  encloses  the 
booklet  or  is  phrased  to  have  the  recipient  ask  for  the 
booklet. 


Letter  'proffering  general  services: 

OBIGGS  NATIONAL  BANE 

28   FIFTH   AVE. 

NEW  YORK: 

November  16,  1921. 
Mr.  Henry  Larkin, 

3428  Cathedral  Parkway, 
New  York. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  are  writing  to  call  your  attention  to  several  services  which 
this  bank  has  at  your  command  and  which  we  should  be  happy 
to  have  you  avail  yourself  of: 

(1)  The  Bond  Department  can  give  you  expert  and  disin- 
terested advice  on  investments  and  can  in  addition  offer  you  a 
selection  of  well-chosen  season  bonds  of  whatever  character  a 
discussion  of  your  affairs  may  disclose  as  being  best  suited  to 
your  needs. 

(2)  Our  safe  deposit  vaults  will  care  for  your  securities  and 
valuable  papers  at  an  annual  cost  which  is  almost  nominal. 

(3)  We  have  arrangements  by  which  we  can  issue  letters  of 


THE  BUSD^SS  LETTER  179 

credit  that  will  be  honored  anywhere  in  the  world,  foreign  drafts, 
and  travellers'  checks. 

(4)  If  you  expect  to  be  away  through  any  considerable  period 
or  do  not  care  to  manage  your  own  investments,  our  Trust  De- 
partment will  manage  them  for  you  and  render  j)eriodical  ac- 
counts at  a  very  small  cost.  This  service  is  especially  valuable 
because  so  frequently  a  busy  man  fails  to  keep  track  of  conversion 
privileges  and  rights  to  new  issues  and  other  matters  incident 
to  the  owning  of  securities. 

(5)  We  will  advise  you,  if  you  like,  on  the  disposition  of  your 
property  by  will,  and  we  have  experienced  and  expert  facilities 
for  the  administration  of  trusts  and  estates. 

I  hope  that  we  may  have  the  opportunity  of  demonstrating 
the  value  of  some  or  all  of  these  services  to  you;  it  would  be  a 
privilege  to  have  you  call  and  become  acquainted  with  the  oflScers 
in  charge  of  these  various  departments. 

I  am 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  Lucitis  Clark, 
President. 

A  letter  offering  to  act  as  executor 

OBIGGS  NATIONAL  BANK 

28   FIFTH   AVENUE 

NEW  YORK 

June  25,  1923. 
Mr.  Lawrence  Loring, 
11  River  Avenue, 
Yonkers,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

May  I  call  to  your  attention  the  question  which  every  man  of 
property  must  at  some  time  gravely  consider,  and  that  is  the 
disposition  of  his  estate  after  death? 


180  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

I  presume  that  as  a  prudent  man  you  have  duly  executed  a 
last  will  and  testament,  and  I  presume  that  it  has  been  drawn 
with  competent  legal  advice.  But  the  execution  of  the  will  is 
only  the  beginning.  After  your  death  will  come  the  administra- 
tion of  the  estate,  and  it  is  being  more  and  more  recognized  that 
it  is  not  the  part  of  wisdom  to  leave  the  administration  of  an 
estate  in  the  hands  of  an  individual. 

It  used  to  be  thought  that  an  executor  could  be  qualified  by 
friendship  or  relationship,  but  unfortimately  it  has  been  proved 
through  the  sad  experience  of  many  estates  that  good  intentions 
and  integrity  do  not  alone  make  a  good  executor.  Skill  and 
experience  also  are  needed. 

This  company  maintains  a  trust  department,  under  the  super- 
vision of  Mr.  Thomas  G.  Shelling,  our  trust  officer,  who  has  had 
many  years  of  experience  in  the  administration  of  estates.  As- 
sociated with  him  is  a  force  of  specialists  who  can  care  for 
any  situation,  usual  or  unusual,  that  may  arise.  The  services  of 
these  men  can  be  placed  at  your  disposal.  I  can  offer  to  you 
not  only  their  expert  services  but  also  the  continuity  of  a  great 
institution. 

Individuals  die.  Institutions  do  not  die.  If  you  will  turn, 
over  in  your  mind  what  may  be  the  situation  thirty  years  hence 
of  any  individual  whom  you  might  presently  think  of  as  an 
executor,  I  believe  you  will  be  impressed  with  the  necessity  for 
the  continuity  of  service  that  can  be  offered  only  by  a  corpora- 
tion. In  many  cases  there  are  personal  matters  in  the  estate 
which  a  testator  may  believe  can  best  be  handled  only  by  some 
of  his  friends.  In  such  a  case  it  is  usual  to  join  the  individual 
executors  with  a  corporate  executor. 

It  would  be  a  privilege  to  be  able  to  discuss  these  matters  with 
you. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  Lucius  Clark, 
President. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  181 

F.S.  Wills  are  quite  frequently  lost  or  mislaid  and  sometimes 
months  elapse  before  they  are  discovered.  It  is  needless  to  point 
out  the  expense  and  inconvenience  which  may  be  entailed.  We 
are  happy  to  keep  wills  free  of  charge. 

A  letter  offering  tax  services 

INTERVALE  NATIONAL  BANE 
INTERVALE,  N.  T. 

June  1, 1928. 
Mr.  Michael  Graham, 
Intervale,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

This  bank  is  prepared  to  advise  you  in  the  preparation  of  your 
income  and  other  tax  returns.  It  is  a  service  that  is  yours  for 
the  asking,  and  we  hope  that  you  will  avail  yourself  of  it. 

The  department  is  open  during  banking  hours,  but  if  these 
hours  are  not  convenient  to  you,  special  appointments  can  be 
made. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  Samuel  Drake, 
President. 

A  letter  giving  the  record  of  the  hanh 

INTERVALE  NATIONAL  BANK 
INTERVALE,  N.  Y. 

July  6, 192S. 
Mr.  Donald  West, 
Intervale,  N.  Y, 

Dear  Sir: 

As  a  depositor  you  will  be  interested  in  the  enclosed  booklet 
which  records  what  the  oflBcers  and  directors  think  is  a  notable 
showing  for  the  bank  during  the  past  year.    I  hope  that  you  will 


182  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

also  find  it  Inspiring  and  will  pass  it  on  to  a  friend  who  is  not  a 
depositor  with  us. 

May  I  thank  you  for  your  patronage  during  the  past  year,  and 
believe  me 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  Samuel  Drake, 
President. 


Letters   of   Order   and   Acknowuejdgment 

Order  where  the  price  of  articles  is  Jcnovm 

North  Conway,  N.  H., 
August  19,  1921. 
Messrs.  L.  T.  Banning, 
488  Broadway, 

New  York.  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen : 

Please  send  me,  at  your  earliest  convenience,  by  United  States 
Express,  the  following: 

1  doz.  linen  handkerchiefs,  tape  edge,  regular  size $  6.00 

1  pr.  Triumph  garters,  silk,  black 75 

4  white  oxford  tennis  shirts,  size  15i  @$3.00 12.00 

6  pr.  white  lisle  socks,  size  11  @$.50 3.00 

Total        $21.75 
I  am  enclosing  a  money  order  for  $21.75. 

Yours  very  truly, 
Oscar  Trent. 
Enclosure 
(Money  Order) 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  183 

Order  where  the  price  is  not  known 

Flint,  Michigan, 
July  14,  1922. 
The  Rotunda, 

581  State  Street, 
Chicago,  111. 

Gentlemen : 

Please  send  as  soon  as  possible  the  following: 
2  prs.  camel's  hair  sport  stockings,  wide-ribbed,  size  9 
1  blue  flannel  middy  blouse,  red  decoration,  size  16 
1  "Dix  make"  housedress,  white  pique,  size  38 
1  copy  of  "Main  Street" 

I  enclose  a  money  order  for  thirty  dollars  ($30.00)  and  will  ask 
you  to  refund  any  balance  in  my  favor  after  deducting  for  in- 
voice and  express  charges. 


End.  M.  O. 


Very  truly  yours, 
Florence  Kepp. 


Williamsport,  Pa., 
March  10, 1921. 
Carroll  Bros., 

814  Chestnut  St., 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Gentlemen: 

Please  send  me  the  following  articles  by  parcels  post  as  soon  as 
possible: 

2  doz.  paper  napkins,  apple  blossom  or  nasturtium  design 

1  "Century"  cook  book 

1  pair  "Luxury"  blue  felt  bedroom  slippers,  leather  sole  and 

heel 
1  large  bar  imported  Castile  soap 
1  pair  elbow  length  white  silk  gloves,  size  6} 


184  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Enclosed  is  a  money  order  for  $15.00.    Please  refund  any  bal- 
ance due  me. 

Yom^  truly, 

Janet  M.  Bent 
(Mrs.  Elmer  Bent) 


Formal  acknowledgments 

It  is  still  a  formal  custom  to  acknowledge  some 
kinds  of  orders  by  a  printed  or  an  engraved  form. 
Some  of  the  older  New  York  business  houses  use  the 
engraved  forms  which  arose  in  the  days  before  tyjje- 
writers  and  they  are  very  effective. 


General  acknowledgment  forms 

THE  GENERAL  STORES  00. 
CHICAGO,   ILL. 

April  18, 19i2. 
Mr.  Walter  Crump, 
29  Adams  Street, 

Maple  Centre,  HI. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  acknowledge  with  thanks  your  order  No which  will 

be  entered  for  immediate   shipment  and  handled   under  our 

No to  which  you  will  please  refer  if  you  have  occasion  to 

write  about  it. 

If  we  are  unable  to  ship  promptly  we  will  write  you  fully  under 
separate  cover. 

Very  truly  yours. 

The  General  Stores  Co. 
S. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  185 

TH£  GENERAL  STORES  CO. 
CHICAGO,   ILL. 

June  13,  1922. 
Mr.  Joseph  Ward, 

Wadsworth  Hill,  LI. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  have  received  your  order requesting  attention 

to No 

Unless  special  attention  is  demanded,  the  routine  schedule 

is  on  a  ten-day  basis,  and  we  therefore  expect  to your 

instrument  on  or  about 

In  corresponding  on  this  subject  please  refer  to  order  No 

Very  truly  yours. 

The  General  Stores  Co. 
S. 


In  answer  to  a  letter  without  sufficient  data 

THE  GENERAL  STORES  CO. 
CHICAGO,  ILL. 

September  8, 1922. 
Mrs.  Benjamin  Brovra,  . 
Carr  City,  Dl. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  thank  you  for  your  order  recently  received  for  one  shirt 
waist  and  two  pairs  of  stockings. 

We  were  unable  to  proceed  with  the  order,  as  the  size  of  the 
waist  was  not  given.  If  you  would  be  kind  enough  to  state 
what  size  you  wish,  we  shall  gladly  make  immediate  shipment. 

Very  truly  yours. 

The  General  Stores  Co. 
S. 


186  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Where  the  goods  are  not  in  hand 

L.   &.  L.  YOUNG 
600  FIFTH  AVENUE 
NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 

November  3,  1921. 
Mrs.  John  Evans, 

500  Park  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  are  out  of  size  5  B  at  present  in  the  white  kid  shoes  you 
desire,  but  we  should  be  pleased  to  order  a  pair  for  you,  if  you 
wish,  which  would  take  two  weeks.  If  this  is  not  satisfactory 
to  you,  perhaps  you  will  call  and  select  another  pair. 

Kindly  let  us  know  what  you  wish  done  in  this  matter. 

Very  truly  yours, 
L.  &  L.  Yoimg. 

Letters  of  Complaint  and  Adjustment 

The  letter  of  complaint  is  purely  a  matter  of  stating 
exactly  what  the  trouble  is.  The  letter  replying  to 
the  complaint  is  purely  an  affair  of  settling  the  trou^ 
ble  on  a  mutually  satisfactory  basis.  The  Marshall 
Field  attitude  that  "the  customer  is  always  right"  is 
the  one  that  it  pays  to  assume.  The  customer  is  by 
no  means  always  right,  but  in  the  long  run  the  good* 
will  engendered  by  this  course  is  worth  far  more  than 
the  inevitable  losses  through  unfair  customers.  The 
big  Chicago  mail  order  houses  have  been  built  up  on 
the  principle  of  returning  money  without  question. 
Legalistic  quibbles  have  no  place  in  the  answer  to  a 
complaint.    The  customer  is  rightly  or  wrongly  dis- 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  187 

satisfied;  business  is  built  only  on  satisfied  customers. 
Therefore  the  question  is  not  to  prove  who  is  right 
but  to  satisfy  the  customer.  This  doctrine  has  its 
limitations,  but  it  is  safer  to  err  in  the  way  of  doing 
too  much  than  in  doing  too  little. 

Claims  for  damaged  goods 

This  letter  is  complete  in  that  it  states  what  the 

damage  is. 

420  Commonwealth  Avenue, 
Boston,  Mass., 

Messrs.  Wells  &  Sons, 
29  Summer  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Gentlemen: 

The  furniture  that  I  bought  on  February  3rd  came  to-day  in 
good  condition  with  the  exception  of  one  piece,  the  green  enamel 
tea- wagon.  That  has  a  crack  in  the  glass  tray  and  the  lower 
shelf  is  scratched.  "Will  you  kindly  call  for  it  and,  if  you  have 
one  like  it  in  stock,  send  it  to  me  to  replace  the  damaged  one? 

Very  truly  yours, 

Edna  Joyce  Link. 
(Mrs.  George  Link) 

830  Main  Street, 
Saltview,  N.  Y., 

Acme  Dishwasher  Co., 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

I  regret  to  inform  you  that  the  Acme  dishwasher  which  I 
purchased  from  your  local  dealer,  I.  Jacobs,  on  December  4, 1920, 


188  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

has  failed  to  live  up  to  your  one-year  guarantee.  In  fact,  tlie 
dishwasher  is  now  in  such  bad  condition  that  I  have  not  used  it 
for  three  weeks. 

I  must  therefore  request  that  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of 
your  guarantee  you  refund  the  purchase  price  of  ninety  dollars 
($90). 

Very  truly  yours, 

Eleanor  Scott. 
(Mrs.  Lawrence  Scott) 


Complaint  of  poor  service 


Webster  Comers,  Mo., 
April  24,  1920. 


Messrs.  Peter  Swann  Co., 
Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Gentlemen: 

Attention  Mr.  Albert  Brann. 

On  Tuesday  last  I  bought  at  your  store  two  boys'  wash  suits. 
This  is  Monday  and  the  goods  have  not  yet  been  delivered.  The 
delay  has  caused  me  great  inconvenience.  If  this  were  the  first 
time  that  you  had  been  careless  in  sending  out  orders  I  should 
feel  less  impatient,  but  three  times  within  the  last  four  weeks  I 
have  been  similarly  annoyed. 

On  March  3rd  I  sent  back  my  bill  for  correction,  goods  returned 
not  having  been  credited  to  my  account.  On  March  15th  the 
bill  was  again  sent  in  its  original  form  with  a  "please  remit." 
I  again  wrote,  making  explanation,  but  to  date  have  received  no 
reply.  If  I  must  be  constantly  annoyed  in  this  manner,  I  shall 
have  to  close  my  accoimt. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Helena  Young  Tremp. 
(Mrs.  Kenneth  Tremp) 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  189 

Replies  to  letters  of  complaint 

WELLS   &  SONS 

29   SUMMER   STREET 

BOSTON,  MASS. 

August  12, 1922.' 
Mrs.  Samuel  Sloane, 
Chelsea,  Mass. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  have  your  letter  of  August  8th  in  regard  to  the  damaged 
perambidator.  We  are  very  sorry  indeed  that  it  was  damaged, 
evidently  through  improper  crating,  so  that  there  does  not  seem 
to  be  any  redress  against  the  railway. 

We  shall  be  glad  to  make  a  reasonable  allowance  to  cover  the 
cost  of  repairs,  or  if  you  do  not  think  the  perambulator  can  be 
repaired,  you  may  return  it  to  us  at  oiur  expense  and  we  will  give 
your  account  credit  for  it.  We  will  send  you  a  new  one  in  ex- 
change if  you  desire. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Wells  &  Sons. 


WELLS  &  SONS 

29   SUMMER  STREET 

BOSTON,  MASS. 

May  11, 1923. 

Mrs.  Julia  Fumiss, 
29  Oak  Street, 

Somerville,  Mass. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  have  received  your  note  of  May  8th  in  regard  to  the  bath- 
room scales  on  your  bill  of  May  1st. 

We  do  not  send  these  scales  already  assembled  as  there  is  con- 
sid«rable  danger  of  breakage,  but  we  shall  send  a  man  out  to  yon 


190  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

on  Wednesday  the  twelfth  to  set  them  up  for  you.    The  missing 
height  bar  will  be  sent  to  you. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Wells  &  Sons. 

THE  STERLING  SILVER  CO. 

8800  FIFTH  AVE. 

NEW  TORS 

December  17, 1923. 
Mrs.  Daniel  Everett, 

290  Washington  Square, 
New  York. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  regret  that  it  will  be  impossible  to  have  your  tea  spoons 
marked  as  we  promised.  Marking  orders  were  placed  in  such 
quantities  before  yours  was  received  that  the  work  cannot  be 
executed  before  December  28th. 

We  are,  therefore,  holding  the  set  for  your  further  instructions 
and  hope  that  this  will  not  cause  any  disappointment. 

Very  truly  yours. 

The  Sterling  SUver  Co. 


REX  TYPEWRITER  CO. 

20  SO.   MICHIGAN  AVE. 

CHICAGO,  ILL. 

November  C,  1922. 
Mr.  John  Harris, 
Wayside,  Dl. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  are  in  receipt  of  the  damaged  No.  806  tj^jewriter  which 
you  returned,  and  have  forwarded  a  new  typewriter  which  was 
charged  to  your  account. 

Please  mail  us  a  freight  bill  properly  noted,  showing  that  the 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  191 

tj'pjewriter  which  you  returned  was  received  in  a  damaged  con- 
dition, so  that  the  cost  of  repairs  can  be  collected  from  the  trans- 
portation company  and  the  proper  credit  placed  to  your  account. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Rex  Typewriter  Co. 

WELLS   &   SONS 

29   SUMMER   STREET 

BOSTON,   MASS. 

September  25, 1922. 
Mr.  Louis  Wright, 
Quincy,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir: 

Our  warehouse  headquarters  have  just  informed  us  in  reply 
to  our  telegram,  that  your  order  No.  2G3  of  September  Cth  was 
shipped  on  September  14th  by  express  direct. 

We  regret  the  delay,  and  hope  the  goods  have  already  reached 
you. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Wells  &  Sons. 

WELLS   A   SONS 
M   SUMMER   STREET 
BOSTON,   MASS. 

June  7, 1923. 
Mrs.  Ralph  Curtis, 

5928  Commonwealth  Ave., 
Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  are  sorry  to  learn  from  your  letter  of  June  5th  that  you  found 
two  buttons  missing  from  your  suit.  We  have  no  more  buttons 
like  the  one  you  enclosed  and  cannot  get  any,  as  the  suit  is  an 
import.     But  if  you  will  let  us  know  the  number  of  buttons  in  the 


192  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

entire  set,  we  will  send  you  a  complete  set  of  buttons  as  near!; 
like  the  sample  as  possible. 
I  hope  this  will  be  a  satisfactory  solution. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Wells  &  Sons. 

A  roviine  letter  of  adjustnieni 

HALL  BROTHERS 

MO  FOURTH  STREET 

DAYTON,   O. 

January  28, 1923. 
Mr.  Philip  Drew, 
480  Milk  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  have  received  your  letter  of  .  .  .  and  regret  to  learo 
that  .  .  .  We  will  carefully  investigate  the  matter  at  one* 
and  within  a  day  or  two  will  write  you  fully. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Hall  Brothers. 

WELLS  &  SONS 

C9  SUMMER    STREET 

BOSTON,  MASS 

January  2, 1923. 
Mr.  George  Larabee, 
Sunnyside,  Vt. 

Dear  Sir: 

In  compliance  with  your  request  of  December  27th  we  shall 
mail  our  check  to-morrow  for  $16.98  for  the  humidor  which  you 
returned.  W^e  regret  very  much  the  delay  in  this  matter.  Our 
only  excuse  for  it  is  the  holiday  rush  in  our  delivery  department 
which  prevented  the  delivery  of  the  humidor  in  time  for  Christ' 
mas. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  193 

We  hope  you  will  overlook  the  delay  and  give  as  another  op- 
portunity to  serve  you. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Wells  &  Sons. 


Credit  and  Collection  Letters 

Business  is  done  largely  on  credit,  but  compara- 
tively few  men  in  business  seem  to  understand  that 
in  the  letters  concerning  accounts  lies  a  large  oppor" 
tunity  for  business  building.  The  old-style  credit 
man  thinks  that  it  is  all  important  to  avoid  credit 
losses;  he  opens  an  account  suspiciously  and  he  chases 
delinquent  accounts  in  the  fashion  that  a  dog  goes 
after  a  cat. 

Business  is  not  an  affair  of  simply  not  losing  money: 
it  is  an  affair  of  making  money.  Many  a  credit  gran- 
tor with  a  perfect  record  with  respect  to  losses  may 
be  a  business  killer;  he  may  think  that  his  sole  func- 
tion is  to  prevent  losses.  His  real  function  is  to  pro- 
mote business.  The  best  credit  men  in  the  country 
are  rarely  those  with  the  smallest  percentage  of 
losses,  although  it  does  happen  that  the  man  who  re- 
gards every  customer  as  an  asset  to  be  conserved 
in  the  end  has  very  few  losses. 

Therefore,  in  credit  granting,  in  credit  refusing, 
and  in  collection,  the  form  letter  is  not  to  be  used 
without  considerable  discrimination.  It  is  inadvis- 
able to  strike  a  personal  note,  and  many  firms  have 
found  it  advantageous  to  get  quite  away  from  the 
letter  in  the  first  reminders  of  overdue  accounts. 


194  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

They  use  printed  cards  so  that  the  recipient  wil\ 
know  that  the  request  is  formal  and  routine. 

Another  point  to  avoid  is  disingenuousness,  such 
as  "accounts  are  opened  for  the  convenience  of  cus- 
tomers." That  is  an  untrue  statement.  They  are 
opened  as  a  part  of  a  method  of  doing  business  and 
that  fact  ought  clearly  to  be  recognized.  It  does  not 
help  for  good  feeling  to  take  the  "favoring"  attitude. 
Every  customer  is  an  asset;  every  prospective  cus- 
tomer is  a  potential  asset.  They  form  part  of  the 
good-will  of  the  concern. 

Tactless  credit  handling  is  the  most  effective  way 
known  to  dissipate  good-will. 


To  open  a  charge  account 


Hoyt  &  Jennings, 

32  East  Forty  Eighth  Street, 
New  York. 


4601  Fourth  Avenue, 
New  York, 
May  3,  1922. 


Gentlemen : 

I  desire  to  open  a  credit  account  with  your  company. 
Will  you  let  me  know  what  information  you  desire? 

Very  truly  yours, 
Harold  Grant. 

or,  according  to  the  circumstances  any  of  the  follow- 
ing may  be  used: 

I  desire  to  open  a  line  of  credit 

I  desire  to  open  an  account 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  195 


•    I  desire  to  maintain  an  open  account. . 
I  desire  to  maintain  a  charge  account. 

Replies  to  application  for  credit 


HOYT   A   JENNINGS 

32  EAST  48TH   ST. 

NEW  YORK 


May  8, 1923. 


Mr.  Harold  Grant, 
48  Dey  Street, 
New  York. 

Dear  Sir: 

May  we  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  May  3rd  In  which  you 
expressed  a  desire  to  have  an  account  with  us.' 

We  enclose  a  copy  of  our  usual  form  and  trust  that  we  shall 
have  the  privilege  of  serving  you. 

Yours  very  truly, 
(Handwritten)  F.  Burdick, 

Credit  Manager, 
Hoyt  &  Jennings. 


HOTT  Sc  JENNINGS 

82   EAST   48TH   STREET 

NEW   YORK 


May  18, 1923. 


Mr.  Harold  Grant, 
48  Dey  Street, 
New  York. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  are  glad  to  notify  you  that,  in  accordance  with  your  re- 
quest, a  charge  account  has  been  opened  in  your  name. 

At  the  beginning  of  our  new  business  relations,  we  wish  to 
assure  you  that  we  shall  try  to  give  satisfaction,  both  with  our 
goods  and  with  our  service.  WTienever  you  purchase  an  article, 
it  is  simply  necessary  that  you  inform  the  sales  person  waiting 


196  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

on  you  that  you  have  a  charge  account — and  then  give  your  name 
and  address. 

As  is  customary  in  our  business,  a  statement  of  purchases  made 
during  the  preceding  month  will  be  rendered  and  will  be  due  on 
the  first  of  each  month. 

We  are  awaiting  with  pleasant  anticipation  the  pleasure  of 
serving  you. 

^•Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  F.  Burdick, 

Credit  Manager, 
Hoyt  &  Jennings. 

Refusing  credit 

(This  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  all  letters  to 
write  and  one  in  which  extreme  care  should  be  used, 
for  it  may  happen  that  the  references  have  not  rephed 
accurately  or  that  there  may  be  somewhere  an  error. 
Many  people  entitled  to  credit  have  never  asked  for 
it  and  therefore  have  trouble  in  giving  references. 
A  brusque  refusal  will  certainly  destroy  a  potential 
customer  and  is  always  to  be  avoided.  The  best 
plan  is  to  leave  the  matter  open.  Then,  if  the  appli- 
cant for  credit  has  really  a  standing,  he  will  eventu- 
ally prove  it.) 

HOYT   &   JENNINGS 

82   EAST   48TH   STREET 

NEW   YORK 

Mr.  Harold  Grant, 
48  Dey  Street, 
New  York. 

Dear  Sir: 

May  we  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  May  5th  and  for  the  names 
of  those  whom  you  were  kind  enough  to  give  as  references? 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  197 

The  information  that  we  have  received  from  them  is  unfor- 
tunately not  quite  complete  enough  for  the  purposes  of  our  formal 
records.  Would  you  care  to  furnish  us  with  further  references 
in  order  that  the  account  may  be  properly  opened?  Or  per- 
haps you  would  rather  call  in  person. 

Very  truly  yours. 
Handwritten)  F.  Burdick, 

Credit  Manager, 

Hoyt  &  Jennings. 


Where  an  order  has  been  sent  in  by  one  who  has  not 
opened  an  account 

GREGORT  SUPPLY  CO. 
114  1LA.1N  STREET 
BALTIMORE,  MD. 

July  13, 1923.   ' 
J.  K.  Cramer  &  Brothers, 
New  Sussex,  Md. 

Gentlemen : 

We  write  to  thank  you  for  your  order  of  July  10th,  amounting 
to  $320  and  we  are  anxious  to  make  shipment  quickly. 

Our  records  do  not  show  that  we  have  previously  been  receiv- 
ing your  orders  and  hence  unfortunately  we  have  not  the  formal 
information  desired  by  our  credit  department  so  that  we  can 
open  the  account  that  we  should  like  to  have  in  your  name.  For 
we  trust  that  this  will  be  only  the  first  of  many  purchases. 

Will  you  favor  us  by  filling  out  the  form  enclosed  and  mailing 
it  back  as  soon  as  convenient?  The  information,  of  course,  will 
be  held  strictly  confidential. 


198  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

We  are  preparing  the  order  for  shipment  and  it  will  be  ready 
to  go  out. 

Yours  truly, 
(Handwritten)  B.  AUen, 

Credit  Manager 

Gregory  Supply  Co. 


LETTERS   TO  REFERENCES   GIVEN   BY  THE  APPLICANT 

To  a  bank  (A  bank  will  not  give  specific  information) 

GREGORY  SUPPLY  CO. 
114   MAIN   STREET 
BALTIMORE,   MD. 

July  25, 1923. 

Haines  National  Bank, 
Baltimore,  Md. 

Gentlemen: 

We  have  received  a  request  from  Mr.  Cramer  of  New  Sussex, 
Md.,  who  informs  us  that  he  maintains  an  account  with  you  for 
the  extension  of  credit.     He  has  given  you  as  a  reference. 

Will  you  kindly  advise  us,  in  confidence  and  with  whatever 
particularity  you  find  convenient,  what  you  consider  his  credit 
rating?  Any  other  information  that  you  may  desire  to  give  will 
be  appreciated. 

We  trust  that  we  may  have  the  opportunity  to  reciprocate 
your  courtesy. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  B.  AUen, 

Credit  Manager, 

Gregory  Supply  Co. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  199 

To  a  commercial  house 

GREGORY  SUPPLY  CO. 
114   MAIN   STREET 
BALTIMORE,   MD. 

July  25, 1923. 
Bunce  &  Co., 

29  Vine  Ave., 

Baltimore,  Md. 

Gentlemen : 

We  shall  be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  will  kindly  infonn  us 
concerning  your  credit  experience  with  Mr.  J.  K.  Cramer  of 
New  Sussex,  Md.,  who  desires  to  open  an  account  with  us  ana 
who  has  referred  us  to  you. 

We  shall  be  happy  at  any  time  to  reciprocate  the  courtesy. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  B.  Allen, 

Credit  Manager, 

Gregory  Supply  Co. 


Another  letter  of  the  same  description  in  a  printed  form 
(Name  and  address  to  be  typewritten  in) 

GREGORY   SUPPLY  CO. 
114   MAIN   STREET 
BALTIMORE,  MD. 

(Date  to  be  typewritten  in) 

Gentlemen: 

J.  K.  Cramer,  of  New  Sussex,  Md., 
desires  to  open  an  account  with  our  store  and  has  given  your 
name  as  a  reference. 


SOO  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Your  courtesy  in  answering  the  questions  given  below  will  be 
appreciated.    We  shall  be  glad  to  reciprocate  it  at  any  time. 

Yours  truly, 

Gregory  Supply  Co. 


(Please  fill  out  and  return  as  soon  as  convenient.) 

1.  Has  he  an  account  with  you  now? 

2.  How  long  has  he  had  the  account? 

3.  How  does  he  pay?    Prompt Medium Slow. 

4.  Have  you  ever  had  difficulty  in  collecting? 

5.  What  limit  have  you  placed  on  the  accoimt? 

6.  Special  information 


In  reply  to  the  above 
(A) 

BUNCE  &  COMPANT 

89  STATE  ST. 

BALTmOKE,  MD. 

July  29, 1923. 
Gregory  Supply  Co., 
Baltimore,  Md. 

Gentlemen: 

In  reply  to  your  letter  of  October  14th  in  which  you  iaquire 
concerning  the  responsibility  of  J.  K.  Cramer  of  New  Sussex, 
Md„  we  are  glad  to  help  you  with  the  following  information. 

Mr.  Cramer  has  had  a  charge  account  with  our  store  during 
the  last  five  years.  Our  records  show  that  he  has  always  met 
our  bills  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  His  account  is  noted  for  a 
monthly  limit  of  $300,  but  he  has  never  reached  it. 

Oui  own  experience  is  that  Mr.  Cramer  is  a  desirable  customer. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Bunce  &  Company. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  20X 

(B) 

WALSH  MACHINE  CO. 
89   ELM   STREET 
BALTIMORE,   MD. 

July  SO,  1923. 
Gregory  Supply  Co., 
Baltimore,  Md. 

Gentlemen: 

Concerning  Mr.  J.  K.  C,  about  whom  you  inquired  in  your 
letter  of  October  14th,  our  records  show  that  our  experience  with 
this  account  has  not  been  satisfactory. 

We  find  that  during  the  last  five  years  in  which  he  has  had  an 
account  with  us  he  has  caused  us  considerable  trouble  with  re- 
gard to  his  payments.  At  the  present  moment  he  owes  us  $240 
for  purchases  made  approximately  six  months  ago,  to  recover 
which  amount  we  have  instructed  our  attorneys  to  institute  legal 
proceedings. 

We  hope  that  this  information  will  be  of  assistance  to  you. 

Yours  very  truly, 

Walsh  Machine  Co. 

PLTJM  BROTHERS 
«800   BROAD    STREET 
PHILADELPHIA.,   PA. 

July  31, 1923. 
Gregory  Supply  Co., 
614  Main  Street, 
Baltimore,  Md. 

Gentlemen: 

We  are  glad  to  give  you  the  information  you  wish  concerning 
our  experiences  with  the  A.  B.  C.  Company,  about  whom  you 
inquire  in  your  letter  of  April  9th. 

The  company  first  came  to  us  on  November  8,  1920.    On 


202  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

that  date  they  purchased  from  us  50  lawn  mowers  at  a  total  cost 
of  $500.  They  took  advantage  of  the  discount  by  paying  the  bill 
on  November  18th. 

In  January,  1921,  they  gave  us  an  order  for  100  at  a  total  cost 
of  $900.    This  bill  they  paid  in  February. 

Their  latest  purchase  from  us  was  in  Juh',  1921.  At  this  time 
their  order  amounted  to  25  lawn  mowers.  They  paid  the  bill 
in  October  after  we  had  sent  them  several  requests  for  remittance. 

We  trust  this  information  will  be  of  some  value  to  you  in  de- 
termining just  what  amount  of  credit  you  may  feel  justified  in 
extending  to  them. 

Verv  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  H.  Plum, 

Plum  Brothers. 

Offering  credit 

DWIGHT    &   DAVIS 

89   PARK   STREET 

ALBANT,   N.   Y. 

October  9, 1922. 
Mrs.  Herbert  Reid, 

1400  Fourth  Avenue, 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Madam: 

Whenever  you  wish  to  come  in  and  purchase  without  cash, 
it  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to  us  to  open  a  charge  account  with  you. 

We  have  made  a  record  here  in  the  store  so  that  whenever  you 
call  it  will  have  been  arranged  for  you  to  purchase  whatever  you 
want. 

We  think  you  will  approve  of  the  character  of  service  and  the 
quality  of  merchandise.  We  wish  to  win  not  only  your  patro- 
nage, but  your  friendship  for  our  store. 

Every  up-to-date  woman  realizes  the  many  benefits,  the  con- 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  203 

veniences,  and  even  prestige  she  enjoys  through  having  a  charge 
account  at  a  dependable  store. 

A  store,  in  turn,  is  judged  by  its  charge  accounts — it  is  rated 
by  the  women  who  have  accounts  there. 

And  so,  because  of  your  standing  in  the  community,  if  you 
avail  yourself  of  our  invitation  to  do  your  buying  here,  you  are 
reflecting  credit  both  on  yourself  and  on  us. 

We  hope  you  will  decide  to  let  us  serve  you — all  our  facilities 
are  completely  at  your  service. 

We  should  like  you  to  feel  that  our -store  is  especially  adapted 
to  your  needs. 

Yours  very  truly, 
(BLand written)  C.  Dale, 

Credit  Manager, 

Dwight  &  Davis. 

SUMMIT  BOX  COMPANY 
KANSAS  CITY,  MO. 

November  13,  1923. 
George  Harrow  &  Co., 
29  Fifth  Street, 

Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Gentlemen : 

.  We  want  to  thank  you  for  your  order  of  November  10th,  with 
your  check  enclosed  in  full  payment.  We  appreciate  the  business 
you  have  been  giving  us.  The  thought  has  frequently  occurred 
to  us  that  you  may  desire  the  advantages  of  an  op>en  account 
with  us.  We  believe  that  such  an  arrangement  will  make  trans- 
actions more  convenient.  We  therefore  have  the  pleasure  of 
notifying  you  that  we  have  noted  your  account  for  our  regular 
credit  terms  of  2%  10  net  30,  up  to  a  limit  of  $500. 

We  hope  that  both  your  business  and  our  acquaintance  with 
you  will  develop  to  such  an  extent  that  it  will  be  a  pleasure  to 
extend  to  you  from  time  to  time  larger  credit  accommodations 
to  take  care  of  your  increasing  needs. 


S04  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

The  business  relations  between  us  have  been  so  agreeable  thai 
we  feel  they  will  continue  so.  Please  remember  that  if  we  can 
ever  be  of  assistance  to  you  in  helping  you  in  your  business 
we  only  ask  that  you  call  upon  us. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  G.  Harris 

Credit  Manager 

Sununit  Box  Company. 

Collection  letters  may  very  easily  be  overdone. 
The  old  idea  was  that  any  expense  or  any  threat  was 
justified  if  it  got  the  money,  but  among  the  more 
advanced  collection  departments  common  sense  has 
crept  in,  and  it  has  been  ascertained  by  cost-finding 
methods  that  it  is  not  worth  while  to  pursue  a  small 
accoimt  beyond  a  certain  point  and  that  when  that 
point  is  reached  it  is  economy  to  drop  the  matter. 
How  far  it  is  wise  to  go  in  attempting  to  collect  an 
account  is  an  affair  of  costs,  unless  one  has  a  penchant 
for  throwing  good  money  after  bad. 

The  point  to  bear  in  mind  in  writing  a  collection 
letter  is  that  it  is  a  collection  letter — that  it  is  an  ef- 
fort to  get  money  which  is  owed.  It  would  not  seem 
necessary  to  emphasize  so  entirely  self-evident  a  point 
were  it  not  unfortunately  sometimes  overlooked  and 
the  collection  letter  made  an  academic  exercise.  There 
is  no  excuse  for  a  long  series  of  collection  letters — 
say  eight  or  ten  of  them.  After  a  man  has  received 
three  or  four  letters  you  can  take  it  for  granted  that 
he  is  beyond  being  moved  by  words.  You  must  then 
have  recourse  to  some  other  mode  of  reaching  him. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  205 

Drawing  on  a  debtor  is  also  of  small  use;  the  kind  of 
a  man  who  will  honor  a  collection  draft  would  pay 
his  bill  anyhow. 

If  a  debtor  has  assets  and  there  is  no  dispute  con- 
cerning the  account,  he  will  usually  pay.  He  may 
pay  because  you  threaten  him,  but  most  people  with 
the  ability  to  owe  money  are  quite  impervious  to 
threats,  and  although  a  threatening  letter  may  seem 
to  bring  results,  it  can  never  be  the  best  letter  be- 
cause on  the  other  side  of  the  ledger  must  be  recorded 
the  loss  of  the  customer.  The  average  writer  of  a 
collection  letter  usually  gets  to  threatening  some- 
thing or  other  and  quite  often  exposes  himself  to  the 
danger  of  counter  legal  action.  (See  Chapter  XI  on 
The  Law  of  Letters.) 

The  most  successful  collection  men  do  not  threaten. 
The  best  of  them  actually  promote  good-will  through 
their  handling  of  the  accounts.  The  bully-ragging, 
long-winded  collection  letter  has  no  place  in  self-re- 
specting business.  The  so-called  statements  of  col- 
lection by  which  papers  drawn  up  to  resemble  writs 
are  sent  through  the  mails,  or  served,  not  only  have  no 
place  in  business  but  many  of  them  are  actually  illegal. 

The  letters  which  are  appended  have  been  chosen 
both  for  their  effectiveness  and  their  courtesy.  They 
represent  the  best  practice.  It  is,  by  the  way,  not 
often  wise  for  the  creditor  to  set  out  his  own  need 
for  money  as  a  reason  why  the  debtor  should  pay  the 
account.  It  is  true  that  the  sympathy  of  the  debtor 
may  be  aroused,  but  the  tale  of  misery  may  lead  him 


206  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

to  extend  comfort  rather  than  aid.  However,  sev- 
eral such  letters  have  been  included,  not  because  they 
are  good  but  because  sometimes  they  may  be  used. 

Collection  letters 

Most  firms  have  adopted  a  series  of  collection  letters 
beginning  with  the  routine  card  reminder  of  an  over- 
due account  and  following  with  gradually  increas- 
ingly personal  second,  third,  fourth,  and  so  on,  letters. 

First  letter — printed  card 

THE  ENCLOSED  STATEMENT  OF 
ACCOUNT  IS  SENT  TO  YOU  AS  WE  BE- 
LIEVE YOU  HAVE  OVERLOOKED  ITS 
PAYMENT. 

Stone  Brothers 
Second  letter 

STONE   BROTHERS 
NEW  YORK 

March  15, 1917. 
Miss  Grace  Duncan, 

146  Prospect  Park  West, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Madam : 

There  appears  an  amount  of  $29.36  open  in  your  name  for  the 
months  of  October  to  January  which,  according  to  our  terms  of 
sale,  is  now  overdue,  and  if  no  adjustment  is  necessary,  we  trust 
you  will  kindly  favor  us  with  a  check  in  settlement. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Stone  Brothers,  New  York, 
(Handwritten)  James  Miller, 

Collection  Manager, 


<•  LmiST"*** 


Holm  reuNORv, 
Cathcart. 
Glasoow. 


«»Tm**«<«  *•*•«•• 


«*«a»**M  M.IOT  fli*M« 


••.CAALTON  HOUtI  niMA«f4 


Specimens  of  business  letterheads  used  by  Engli&h  firma 


207 


208  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Third  letter' 

STONE   BROTHERS 
NEW  YORK 

April  2, 1917. 
Miss  Grace  Duncan, 

146  Prospect  Park  West, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Madam: 

Our  letters  of  February  15th  and  March  15th  have  brought 
no  reply  from  you.  Since  they  have  not  been  returned  by  the 
Post  OflBce  we  must  presume  that  you  received  them. 

You  naturally  wish  to  keep  your  credit  clear.  We  wish  to 
have  it  clear.  It  is  really  a  mutual  afiFarr.  Will  you  not  send  a 
check  and  keep  the  account  on  a  pleasant  basis? 

Very  truly  yours, 
Stone  Brothers, 
(Handwritten)  James  Miller^ 

Collection  Manager. 
The  amount  is  $29.36. 


Fourth  letter 

STONE  BROTHERS 
NEW  YORK 

April  16, 1917. 
Miss  Grace  Duncan, 

146  Prospect  Park  West, 
Brooklyn,  New  York. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  have  no  desire  to  resort  to  the  law  to  collect  the  $29.36 
due  us,  but  unless  your  remittance  is  in  our  hands  by  May  1st, 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  209 

we  shall  take  definite  steps  for  the  legal  collection  of  your  ac- 
count.   May  we  hear  from  you  at  once? 

Very  truly  yours. 
Stone  Brothers, 
(Handwritten)  James  Miller^ 

Collection  Manager. 

The  following  are  collection  letters  of  varying 
degrees  of  personal  tone.  In  these  seven  letters  are 
given  the  body  of  the  letter,  with  the  salutation  and 
the  complimentary  close.  Headings  and  signatures 
have  been  omitted. 

Dear  Sir: 

A  statement  is  enclosed  of  your  accoimt,  which  is  now  past  due. 
A  remittance  wiU  be  appreciated. 

Yours  truly. 

Dear  Madam: 

We  desire  to  call  your  attention  again  to  your  past-due  accoimt 
for  the  month  of  January  for  $90.52,  a  statement  of  which  was 
mailed  to  you  several  weeks  ago.  We  shall  appreciate  receiving 
your  check  in  payment  of  this  account  by  return  maU. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Gentlemen: 

Two  weeks  ago  we  mailed  you  a  statement  of  account  due  at 
that  time,  and  as  we  have  heard  nothing  from  you  we  thought  it 
possible  that  our  letter  may  have  miscarried.  We  are  sending 
you  a  duplicate  of  the  former  statement,  which  we  hope  may 
reach  you  safely  and  have  your  attention. 

Very  truly  yours. 


210  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

To  follow  the  'preceding  letter 

Gentlemen : 

We  call  your  attention  to  the  enclosed  statement  of  account 
which  is  now  past  due.  We  have  sent  you  two  statements  previ- 
ous to  this,  to  which  you  seem  to  have  given  no  attention. 

It  may  be  possible  that  you  have  overlooked  the  matter,  but 
we  hope  this  will  be  a  suflBcient  reminder  and  that  you  will  oblige 
us  with  a  remittance  without  further  delay. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  are  enclosing  a  statement  of  your  account  and  we  request 
as  a  special  favor  that  you  send  us  a  remittance  previous  to  the 
28th  of  this  month  if  possible.  The  amount  is  small,  but  not  the 
less  important.  We  have  unusualh*  heavy  obligations  maturing 
on  the  first  of  next  month  and  you  will  understand  that  for  the 
proper  conduct  of  business  the  flow  of  credit  should  not  be 
dammed  up. 

In  looking  over  your  account  for  the  last  few  months,  it  oc- 
curs to  us  that  we  are  not  getting  a  great  deal  of  your  business. 
If  this  is  due  to  any  failure  or  negligence  on  our  part,  perhaps  you 
will  undertake  to  show  us  where  we  are  lacking  because  we 
surely  want  all  of  your  business  that  we  can  get. 

Very  truly  yours. 

Follow-up  letters 

Dear  Sir: 

We  wrote  you  on  18th  February  and  enclosed  a  statement  of 
your  account.  We  hoped  at  the  time  that  j-ou  would  send  us  a 
check  by  return  mail.  If  our  account  does  not  agree  with 
your  books,  kindly  let  us  know  at  once  so  that  we  may  promptly 
adjust  the  differences. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  2U 

We  hope  that  you  can  accommodate  us  as  requested  in  our 
previous  letter  and  that  we  will  hear  from  you  by  the  10th  of 
March.  We  again  assure  you  that  a  remittance  at  this  particular 
time  will  be  greatly  appreciated. 

Also  please  remember  that  we  want  your  orders,  too.  Prices 
on  copper  wire  are  likely  to  make  a  sharp  advance  within  a  few 
days. 

Very  truly  yours, 

January  19,  1921. 
Dear  Sir: 

We  are  enclosing  a  statement  showing  the  condition  of  your 
account  at  this  writing,  and  we  must  ask  you  to  be  kind  enough 
to  do  your  utmost  to  forward  us  your  check  by  return  mail. 

Our  fiscal  year  closes  January  31st  and  it  is  naturally  our  pride 
and  endeavor  to  have  as  many  accounts  closed  and  in  good  stand- 
ing as  is  possible  for  the  coming  year,  and  this  can  materialize 
only  with  your  kind  cooperation. 

Very  truly  yours, 

L:^TTERS  OF  Application 
Application  for  position  as  stenographer 

648  West  168th  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y., 
April  4, 1922. 
Mr.  B.  C.  Kellerman, 
1139  Broad  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

This  may  interest  you: 

I  can  take  dictation  at  an  average  rate  of  100  words  a  minute 
and  I  can  read  my  notes.    They  are  always  accurate.    If  you 


212  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

will  try  me,  you  will  find  you  do  not  have  to  repeat  any  dictation. 
I  never  missp)ell  words. 

I  am  nineteen,  a  high  school  graduate,  quick  and  accurate 
at  figures.  I  have  a  good  position  now,  uptown,  but  I  should 
prefer  to  be  with  some  large  corporation  downtown.  I  am  in- 
terested in  a  position  with  room  at  the  top. 

I  am  willing  to  work  for  $18  a  week  until  I  have  demonstrated 
my  ability  and  then  I  know  you  will  think  me  worth  more. 

A  letter  or  a  telephone  message  will  bring  me  in  any  morning 
you  say  to  take  your  morning's  dictation,  write  your  letters,  and 
leave  the  verdict  to  you. 

Will  you  let  me  try? 

Very  truly  yours, 
Edith  Hoyt. 
Telephone  Riverside  8100 

Application  for  position  as  secretary 

149  East  56th  Street, 
Chicago,  HI., 

December  1,  1923. 
Mr.  Ralph  Hodge, 
Boone  &  Co., 

2000  So.  Michigan  Ave., 
Chicago,  HI. 

Dear  Sir: 

This  is  in  answer  to  your  advertisement  for  a  secretary.  1 
have  had  the  experience  and  training  which  would,  I  think 
enable  me  satisfactorily  to  fill  such  a  position.  I  recognize,  of 
course,  that  whatever  my  exp>erience  and  training  have  been  they 
would  be  worse  than  useless  unless  thej'  could  be  modified  to 
suit  your  exact  requirements.     (Here  set  out  the  exp>erience.) 

The  lowest  salarj'  I  have  ever  received  was  twelve  dollars  a 
week,  when  I  began  work.     The  highest  salary  I  have  received 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  213 

tliirty  dollars  a  week,  but  I  think  that  it  would  be  better  to 
leave  the  salarj'  matter  open  until  it  might  be  discovered  whether 
I  am  worth  anything  or  nothing. 

Very  truly  yours, 

(Miss)  Mary  Rogers. 

Answer  to  an  advertisement  from  an  applicant  wlio  has 
had  no  experience 

245  East  83rd  Street, 
Chicago,  ni. 
Mr.  Ralph  Hodge, 
Boone  &  Co., 
2000  So.  Michigan  Ave., 
Chicago,  111. 

Dear  Sir: 

This  is  in  answer  to  your  advertisement  for  a  secretary,  in 
which  you  ask  that  the  experience  of  the  applicant  be  set  forth. 
I  have  had  no  experience  whatsoever  as  a  secretarj\  Therefore, 
although  I  might  have  a  great  deal  to  learn,  I  should  have  noth- 
ing to  unlearn. 

I  understand  what  is  expected  of  a  secretary,  and  I  hope  that 
I  have  at  least  the  initial  qualifications.  I  have  had  a  fair  educa- 
tion, having  graduated  from  Central  High  School  and  the  Craw- 
ford Business  Academy,  and  I  have  done  a  great  deal  of  reading. 
I  am  told  that  I  can  write  a  good  letter.  I  know  that  I  can  take 
any  kind  of  dictation  and  that  I  can  transcribe  it  accurately,  and 
I  have  no  diflBculty  in  writing  letters  from  skeleton  suggestions. 

Your  advertisement  does  not  give  the  particular  sort  of  busi- 
ness that  you  are  engaged  in,  but  in  the  course  of  my  reading  I 
have  gathered  a  working  knowledge  of  economics,  finance,  busi- 
ness practice,  and  geography,  some  of  which  might  be  useful.  I 
am  writing  this  letter  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  you  specified  that 
experience  was  necessary,  because  one  of  my  friends,  who  is 


214  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

secretary  to  a  very  well-known  corporation  president,  told  me 
that  she  began  in  her  present  place  quite  without  experience  and 
found  herself  helped  rather  than  handicapped  by  the  lack  of  it. 

I  am  twenty-two  years  old  and  I  can  give  you  any  personal  or 
social  references  that  you  might  care  for.  I  have  no  ideas  what- 
soever on  salary.  In  fact,  it  would  be  premature  even  to  think 
of  anything  of  the  kind.  "What  I  am  most  anxious  about  is  to 
have  a  talk  with  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 

(Miss)  Margaret  Booth. 

Applications  for  position  as  sales  manager 

1249  Huntington  Ave., 
Boston,  Mass. 
Mr.  Henry  Jessup, 

White  Manufacturing  Co., 
89  Milk  Street, 
Columbus,  O. 

Dear  Sir: 

Mr.  A.  C.  Brown  of  the  Bronson  Company  tells  me  you  are 
in  immediate  need  of  a  sales  manager  for  the  Western  Illinois 
territory. 

Western  Illinois  ofiFers  a  promising  opportunity  for  the  sale  of 
farm  implements  and  devices.  During  my  experience  with  the 
Johnson  &  Jones  Company,  I  got  to  know  the  people  of  this  sec- 
tion very  well,  and  I  know  how  to  approach  them.  The  farmers 
are  well-to-do  and  ready  for  improvements  that  will  better  their 
homes,  lands,  and  stock.  There  could  not  be  a  better  place  to 
start. 

As  Mr.  Brown  will  tell  you,  I  have  been  with  the  Bronson 
Company  for  five  years.  I  started  as  clerk  in  the  credit  office, 
gradually  working  out  into  the  field — first  as  investigator,  then 
salesman,  and  for  the  last  two  years  as  sales  manager  of  the 
Western  Virginia  territory.  The  returns  from  this  field  have 
increased  100  per  cent,  since  I  began.    With  the  hearty  co6i)era- 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  215 

tion  of  the  men  on  the  road,  I  have  built  up  a  system  about  which 
I  should  like  to  tell  you.  It  would  work  out  splendidly  selling 
Defiance  Harrows  in  Western  Illinois. 

My  home  is  in  Joliet  and  I  want  to  make  my  headquarters  there. 
I  have  no  other  reason  for  quitting  the  Bronson  Company,  who 
are  very  fair  as  far  as  salary  and  advancement  are  considered. 

My  telephone  number  is  Cherry  100.  A  wire  or  letter  will 
bring  me  to  Columbus  to  talk  with  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Gerald  Barbour. 

70  Blain  Ave., 
Boston,  Mass., 
.   May  4,  1921, 
Mr.  John  Force, 

6  Beacon  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Sir. 

This  letter  may  be  of  some  concern  to  you.  I  am  not  a  man 
out  of  a  job,  but  have  what  most  men  would  consider  one  that  is 
first-class.  But  I  want  to  change,  and  if  you  can  give  me  a  little  of 
your  time,  I  will  tell  you  why  and  how  that  fact  may  interest  you. 

In  a  word,  I  have  outgrown  my  present  position.  I  want 
to  get  in  touch  with  a  business  that  is  wide-awake  and  progres- 
sive; one  that  will  permit  me  to  work  out,  unhampered,  my  ideas 
on  oflSce  organization  and  management — ideas  that  are  well- 
founded,  conservative,  and  efficient.  My  present  position  does 
not  give  play  to  initiative. 

If  you  at  this  time  happen  to  be  looking  for  a  man  really  to 
manage  your  office,  audit  accounts,  or  take  charge  of  credits, 
my  qualifications  and  business  record  will  show  you  that  I  am 
able  to  act  in  any  or  all  of  these  capacities. 

I  have  written  with  confidence  because  I  am  sure  of  myself, 
and  if  I  undertake  to  direct  your  work,  you  may  be  assured  that 
it  has  a  big  chance  of  being  successful. 


«16  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

If  you  so  desire,  I  shall  be  glad  to  submit  references  in  a  per- 
sonal interview. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Clive  Drew. 
Telephone  Winthrop  559 -W 

Answers  to  letters  of  application 

HABKISON  NATIONAL  BANK 
TRENTON,  N.  J. 

February  2,  1923. 
Mr.  James  Russell, 
63  State  Street, 
Trenton,  N.  J. 

Dear  Sir: 

I  wish  to  acknowledge  your  letter  of  application  of  December 
8th.  At  present  we  have  no  vacancies  of  the  type  you  desire. 
I  am,  however,  placing  your  application  on  file. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Samuel  CaldweU. 

HARRISON  NATIONAL  BANK 
TRENTON,  N.  J. 

February  2, 1923. 
Mr.  James  Russell, 
63  State  Street, 
Trenton,  N.  J. 

Dear  Sir: 

I  wish  to  acknowledge  your  letter  of  application  of  December 
Sth.  At  present  we  have  no  vacancies  of  the  type  that  you 
desire.  However,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  have  a  talk  with  you 
on  December  12th  at  my  office  at  four  o'clock. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Samuel  Caldwell. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  217 

Letters  of  Reference 

Letter  asking  for  reference 

468  Walnut  Street, 

Philadelphia,  Pa., 
Mr.  William  Moyer,  May  5,  1923. 

Triumph  Hosiery  Co., 
4000  Broad  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 
My  dear  Mr.  Moyer: 

I  am  looking  for  a  position  as  cashier  with  the  Bright  Weaving 
Company.  My  duties  there  would  be  similar  in  every  way  to 
my  work  in  your  oflBce,  and  a  recommendation  from  you  would 
help  greatly. 

Mr.  Sawyer,  the  first  vice-president  of  the  Bright  Weaving 
Company,  knows  you  personally,  hence  an  opinion  from  you 
would  have  particular  effect. 

Your  kindness  would  be  deeply  appreciated,  as  have  been  all 
your  kindnesses  in  the  past. 

Yours  very  sincerely, 
Philip  Rockwell. 

A  useful  practice  adopted  by  some  firms  is  the  re- 
quirement of  a  photograph  from  every  applicant  for 
a  position. 

HADDON  IRON  WORKS 
PHIIiAX)£LPHIA,   PA. 

Paste  photograph 
of  applicant  here 

B.  F.  Harlow  &  Co.,  April  30, 1917. 

Paterson,  N.  J. 
Dear  Sirs : 

Philip  Smith  (photo  attached)  has  applied  to  us  for  a  position 
as  steamfitter. 


«18  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

His  application  states  that  he  has  been  in  your  employ  for 
three  years  and  that  he  is  leaving  to  take  a  position  in  this  city. 

As  all  applicants  are  required  by  us  to  furnish  references  a* 
to  character  and  ability,  we  shall  appreciate  your  giving  us  the 
following  information. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  Samuel  Sloane, 

Employment  Manager. 

Is  his  statement  correct.' 

Are  his  character  and  habits  good.' 

Had  he  the  confidence  of  his  employers? 

Can  he  fill  the  position  for  which  he  has  applied? 

Remarks:  Signed 

Dated 

Some  general  letters  of  recommendation 

March  4,  1923. 
To  "Whom  It  May  Concern : 

I  have  known  the  bearer,  John  Hope,  for  four  years.  He  is 
of  fine  family  and  has  been  one  of  our  most  highly  regarded 
young  men.    I  would  heartily  recommend  him. 

Richard  Brown. 

April  18,  1922. 
Gentlemen : 

The  bearer,  George  Frothingham,  is  a  young  man  of  my  ac- 
quaintance whom  I  know  and  whose  family  I  have  known  for 
some  time.  They  are  splendid  i)eople.  This  boy  is  ambitious 
and  thoroughly  reliable.    I  hope  you  can  find  a  place  for  him. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Gerald  Law. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  219 

June  16, 1922. 

To  Whom  It  May  Concern: 

This  is  to  certify  that  the  bearer,  Ernest  Hill,  is  an  acquaint- 
ance of  mine,  a  man  whom  I  know  to  be  thoroughly  trustworthy. 

Harold  Smith. 

July  12,  1923. 
Dear  Sir: 

This  is  to  certify  that  Joseph  Ranee  has  been  in  my  employ 
for  eighteen  months.  He  is  a  most  willing  and  able  worker, 
honest,  steady,  and  faithful.  I  regret  that  I  was  obliged  to  let 
him  go  from  my  employ.  I  feel  very  safe  in  highly  recommend- 
ing him  to  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 
George  Bunce. 

Recommendation  for  a  special  position 

HARCOURT  MANUFACTUBINQ  CO. 

89  BOYLSTON  STREET 

BOSTON,   MASS 

October  10, 1921. 
Mr.  Gordon  Edwards, 
48  Tremont  Street, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Dear  Mr.  Edwards: 

At  luncheon  last  Wednesday  you  mentioned  that  you  were  in 
need  of  another  advertising  writer.  If  the  position  is  still  open, 
I  should  like  to  recommend  Mr.  Bruce  Walker. 

When  I  first  met  Mr.  Walker  he  was  with  Bellamy,  Sears  &  Co., 
Boston,  and  was  doing  most  of  their  newspaper  advertising. 
His  work  was  so  good  that  I  offered  him  a  position  as  advertising 
writer  with  us.    He  accepted,  with  the  approval  of  Bellamy 


220  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Sears  &  Co.,  and  has  been  with  me  for  the  last  three  years.  He 
has  written  for  us  some  of  the  best  drawing  copy  that  we  ever 
used,  and  his  work  has  been  satisfactory  in  every  way.  He  is 
original  and  modem  in  his  advertising  ideas,  and  knows  how 
to  express  them  forcefully  but  without  exaggeration.  His 
English  is  p)erfect. 

I  shall  greatly  regret  losing  Mr.  Walker,  but  I  cannot  advance 
him  above  his  present  position,  and  I  agree  with  him  that  he  is 
equal  to  a  bigger  position  than  he  has  here.  I  hope  you  can  give 
him  the  opportunity  that  he  seeks.  If  you  will  see  him  per- 
sonally, you  will  oblige  both  him  and  me. 

Very  sincerely  yours, 
B.  A.  Yeomans. 

Thanhs  for  recommendation 

29  Kelley  Ave., 
Cleveland,  O., 
October  4.  1923. 
Mr.  John  Saunders, 

Jones  Publishing  Co., 
Cleveland,  O. 

My  dear  Mr.  Saunders : 

Your  influence  and  kindly  interest  have  secured  for  me  the 
position  with  TuUy  &  Clark.  I  want  to  thank  j'ou  for  the  ex- 
cellent recommendation  which  you  gave  me  and  to  assure  you 
that  I  shall  give  my  best  attention  to  my  new  work. 

Very  truly  yours, 
John  Dillon. 

Letters  of  Introduction 

The  method  of  delivering  letters  of  introduction  is 
fully  described  under  social  letters  of  introduction. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  221 

Answer  to  a  request  for  a  letter  oj  introduction 

89  Grand  Ave., 
Detroit,  Mich., 
August  8, 1923. 
Mr.  Albert  Hall, 
29  Main  Street, 
Detroit,  Mich. 

My  dear  Mr.  Hall: 

Accompanying  this  note  you  find  letters  of  introduction  which 
I  hope  will  be  what  you  want. 

I  am  glad  to  give  you  these  letters  and  should  you  need  any 
further  assistance  of  this  kind,  please  consider  me  at  your  dis- 
posal. 

Yours  truly, 

Clement  Wilks. 

General  Utters  of  introduction 

89  Grand  Ave., 
Detroit,  Mich., 
August  8, 1923. 

Thiis  will  introduce  the  bearer,  Mr.  Albert  Hall,  whom  I  per- 
sonally know  as  being  a  gentleman  in  conduct  and  reputation. 

Any  courtesy  shown  to  Mr.  Hall  I  shall  consider  a  favor  to 
myself,  and  I  ask  for  him  all  possible  attention  and  service. 

Clement  Wilks. 

June  9,  1923. 
To  Whom  It  May  Concern; 

The  bearer,  David  Clark,  has  been  an  acquaintance  of  mine  for 
five  years.  He  is  a  young  man  of  good  habits.  I  would  rec- 
ommend him  for  any  position  within  his  ability. 

EUery  Saunders. 


222  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Special  introduction 

(The  inside  address,  heading,  and  signature  are  to 
be  suppHed) 

Dear  Sir: 

Mr.  Walter  Green,  whom  this  will  introduce  to  you,  is  a  mem- 
ber of  our  Credit  Department.  He  is  visiting  New  York  on  a 
personal  matter,  but  he  has  offered  to  make  a  personal  investiga- 
tion of  the  Crump  case  and  I  have  advised  him  to  see  you,  as 
the  man  who  knows  most  about  that  affair.  If  you  can  find 
the  time  to  give  him  a  brief  interview,  you  will  do  him  a  favor, 
and  I  also  shall  appreciate  it. 

Yours  very  truly. 


Vice-President. 


Introducing  a  stenographer  in  order  to  secure  a  position 
for  her 

100  Wall  Street, 

New  York,  N.  Y., 
February  6,  1921. 
Mr.  William  Everett, 

347  Madison  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

My  dear  Mr.  Everett: 

The  bearer  of  this  letter.  Miss  Mildred  Bryan,  my  stenog- 
rapher, is  available  for  a  position,  owing  to  the  fact  that  I  am 
moving  my  office  to  Cincinnati. 

She  is  an  unusually  competent  young  woman — quick,  accurate, 
intelligent,  and  familiar  with  the  routine  of  a  law  office. 

If  you  need  a  stenographer,  you  cannot  do  better  than  engage 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  223 

Miss  Bryan,  and  I  am  taking  the  liberty  of  giving  her  this  letter 
for  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Howard  S.  Briggs. 


Letters  of  Inquiry 

Requests  for  information 

Bradford  Mills,  Pa., 

August  9, 1923. 
Dr.  Louis  Elliott, 

29  Walnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

My  dear  Dr.  Elliott: 

I  am  writing  a  paper  on  Vitamines  to  be  read  before  the 
Mothers'  Club,  an  organization  of  Bradford  Mills  mothers. 

I  have  drawn  most  of  my  material  from  your  article  in  the 
Medical  Magazine,  acknowledging,  of  course,  the  source  of  my 
information.  There  are  several  points,  however,  on  which  I  am 
not  clear.  As  it  is  of  great  importance  that  this  subject  be  pre- 
sented to  the  mothers  correctly,  I  am  addressing  you  personally 
to  get  the  facts. 

1.  Am  I  to  understand  that  no  other  foods  than  those  you 
mention  contain  these  vitamines.'' 

2.  Are  all  the  classes  of  vitamines  necessary  to  life  and  will  a 
child  fed  on  foods  containing  all  the  known  vitamines  be 
better  conditioned  than  one  fed  on  only  one  kind? 

I  shall  greatly  appreciate  your  answering  my  questions.  The 
members  of  the  club  have  shown  surprising  interest  in  this  mat- 
ter of  food. 

Yours  sincerely, 

Mabel  Manners. 


9U  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

128  East  Forty-Sixth  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y., 
June  15,  1922. 
The  Prentiss  Candy  Co., 
Long  Island  City,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen: 

The  Better  Food  Magazine,  to  which  I  am  a  contributor,  has 
asked  me  to  make  an  investigation  of  the  manufacture  of  the 
most  widely  advertised  foods,  with  a  view  to  writing  an  article  on 
foods  for  the  magazine. 

I  should  like  if  possible  to  talk  with  someone  and  to  make  a 
short  visit  to  the  factory.  If  you  can  arrange  an  appointment 
for  me  during  the  next  week,  will  you  let  me  know?  I  shall 
greatly  appreciate  it. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Miss)  Vera  Henderson. 

Answers  to  letters  of  inquiry 

THE   PRENTISS  CANDY  CO. 
LONG  ISIiAjn)  CITT,  N.  T. 

June  17, 1922. 

Miss  Vera  Henderson, 

128  East  Forty-Sixth  Street, 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Madam : 

We  have  your  letter  of  15th  June  and  we  shall  be  glad  to  give 
you  any  assistance  in  our  power. 

If  you  will  call  at  the  factory  oflSce  next  week  on  Tuesday  the 
22nd  or  Wednesday  the  23rd  and  present  the  enclosed  card  to 
Mr.  Jones,  you  will  get  all  the  information  you  desire. 

Very  truly  yours, 
(Handwritten)  B.  J.  Clark , 

The  Prentiss  Candy  Co. 


THE  BUSINESS  LETTER  225 

PINE  GROVE  LODGE,   STANTON,   N.   Y. 

ABSOLUTELT  FIREPROOF  OPEN  ALL  THE  YEAB 

THE  FINEST  RESORT  HOTEL  IN  THE  COUNTRT 

May  6, 1921. 
Mr.  Charles  Keith, 
4000  Madison  Ave., 
New  York,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir: 

We  have  your  letter  of  May  4th  and  in  answer  we  are  enclos- 
ing some  of  our  descriptive  literature. 

We  can  offer  you  absolute  comfort  together  with  an  almost 
matchless  environment  in  the  points  of  beauty  and  of  suitability 
for  all  sports. 

Our  rates  are  on  the  American  plan.  We  have  the  finest 
American  plan  kitchen  and  table  anywhere.  We  enclose  a  menu. 
Our  single  rooms  with  private  bath  are  $50,  $62,  and  $70  per  week 
up  for  one  pyerson.  Rooms  without  bath,  but  with  hot  and  cold 
running  water  and  adjacent  to  bath  are  $45  per  week.  Double 
rooms  with  private  bath  and  furnished  with  two  single  beds  are 
$95,  $105,  and  $115  per  week  up  for  two  persons.  Rooms  for  two 
without  bath  are  $80  per  week.  These  rates  hold  until  Septem- 
ber 1st. 

The  difference  in  rates  is  caused  by  the  size  and  location  of 
rooms,  but  every  room  is  furnished  with  taste  and  care.  The  deco- 
rations have  been  carefully  thought  out.  There  are  no  undesir- 
able rooms  at  the  Lodge  and  every  room  is  an  outside  room. 
Those  on  the  east  overlook  the  120-acre  golf  course  with  a  magni- 
ficent view  of  the  moimtains,  and  those  on  the  west  front  the 
wooded  slopes  of  Sunset  Mountain. 

Stanton  affords  the  greatest  combination  of  scenery,  health- 
giving  climate,  and  facilities  for  enjoyment.  Add  to  this  the 
comforts  and  luxuries  of  a  modem  hotel  such  as  Pine  Grove  Lodge 
and  the  result  is  perfect. 

We  feel  quite  sure  you  will  find  a  visit  here  restful  or  lively — as 


226  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

you  will.  One  of  the  attractions  of  the  place  is  its  facilities 
for  occupying  oneself  in  one's  own  way.  We  shall  be  glad  to 
make  reservation  for  you  at  any  time  or  to  answer  any  furthei 
inquiries. 

Yours  very  truly. 

Pine  Grove  Lodge. 

If  you  should  receive  an  inquiry  for  advice,  opinion, 
or  information,  which  you  do  not  care,  for  some  rea- 
son, to  give,  you  should  at  least  reply  stating  that 
you  cannot  comply  with  the  request,  in  as  courteous 
a  manner  as  possible. 


CHAPTER  Yin 
THE  USE  OF  FORM  PARAGRAPHS 

A  CONSIDKRABLE  part  of  the  day's  run  of  corre- 
j^pondence  in  a  business  office  has  to  do  with  not  more 
than  half-a-dozen  subjects.  Quotations  will  be 
asked  for.  Tenders  will  be  made.  Complaints  vnH 
he  made  and  received.  Adjustments  of  various  kinds 
will  be  done,  and  so  on,  through  a  hst  that  varies 
with  the  particular  business  of  the  office.  It  k 
advisable  to  keep  the  tone  of  correspondence  on  a 
fairly  uniform  level.  Therefore  if  each  letter  has 
to  be  individually  dictated,  only  a  man  mentally 
equipped  to  write  letters  can  do  the  dictating.  The 
time  of  such  a  man  is  expensive  and  often  might  bet- 
ter be  devoted  to  other  matters.  Hence  the  inven- 
tion of  what  is  knowTi  as  a  form  paragraph,  which  is  a 
standardized  paragraph  that  can  be  used  with  slight 
variations  as  a  section  of  a  great  many  letters. 

The  result  is  that  most  routine  mail  does  not  have 
to  be  dictated.  A  letter  is  merely  read,  the  essential 
facts  dictated  or  noted  on  the  letter  itself,  and  cer- 
tain symbols  added  which  tell  the  stenographer 
the  form  paragraphs  that  are  to  be  used.  The 
letter  is  then  almost  mechanically  produced.  Some 
companies  have  gone  so  extensively  into  the  writing 

227 


228  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

of  form  paragraphs  that  they  have  sections  covering 
practically  every  subject  that  can  arise.  This 
possibly  carrying  the  idea  too  far.  Convenience 
may  become  inconvenience,  and  there  is  of  course  al- 
ways the  danger  of  getting  in  a  slightly  unsuitable 
paragraph  which  will  reveal  to  the  reader  that  the 
letter  has  not  been  personally  dictated.  However,  a 
certain  number  of  form  paragraphs  considerably  re- 
duces the  cost  of  letter  writing  and  also  conduces  to 
the  raising  of  the  standards,  for  the  mere  reading  of 
well-phrased  form  letters  will  often  induce  in  an  other- 
wise poor  correspondent  a  certain  regard  for  clear 
expression. 

The  proper  form  paragraphs  that  any  concern  may 
profitably  use  are  a  matter  of  specific  investigation. 
The  way  to  get  at  the  list  of  useful  forms  is  to  take  all 
of  the  letters  received  and  all  of  the  letters  written 
during,  say,  one  or  two  months  and  then  classify 
them.  A  number  of  letters  will  have  to  do  with 
purely  individual  cases.  These  letters  should  be 
discarded.  They  are  letters  which  would  have  to 
be  personally  dictated  in  any  event  and  there  is  no 
use  wasting  time  composing  forms  for  them.  The 
remaining  letters  will  fall  into  divisions,  and  through 
these  divisions  it  will  become  apparent  what  points 
in  the  correspondence  arise  so  frequently  and  in  so 
nearly  the  same  form  as  to  be  capable  of  being  ex- 
pressed in  form  paragraphs. 

There  will  probably  be  a  number  of  subjects  which 
can  be  covered  fully  by  two  or  three  form  letters,  but 


THE  USE  OF  FORM  PARAGRAPHS     229 

I 
a  nicer  adjustment  mil  usually  be  had  by  thinking 
of  form  paragraphs  rather  than  of  form  letters,  for 
skillfully  drawn  and  skillfully  used  form  paragraphs 
will  so  closely  simulate  the  personal  letter  as  to  leave 
no  doubt  in  the  mind  of  the  reader  that  considerable 
trouble  has  been  taken  to  put  the  matter  before  him 
courteously  and  exactly. 


CHAPTER  IX 
CHILDREN'S  LETTERS 

Children's  letters  may  be  written  on  ordinary 
stationery,  but  it  adds  a  good  deal  of  interest  to  their 
letter  writing  if  they  may  use  some  of  the  several 
pretty,  special  styles  to  be  had  at  any  good  stationer's. 
The  following  examples  of  children's  letters  in- 
clude : 

Letter  of  invitation  from  a  child  to  a  child. 

Letter  of  invitation  from  a  parent  to  a  child. 

Letter  from  a  parent  to  a  parent  inviting  a  child. 

Letter  of  thanks  to  an  aunt  for  a  gift. 

Letter  to  a  sick  playmate. 

Letter  to  a  teacher. 

Letter  to  a  grandmother  on  her  birthday. 

Invitation  to  a  birthday  party 

April  14,  1921. 
Dear  Frank: 

I  am  going  to  have  a  birthday  party  next  Friday  afternoon, 
from  three-thirty  until  six  o'clock.  I  hope  you  will  come  and 
help  us  to  have  a  good  time. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Harriet  Evans. 
500  Park  Avenue 

230 


CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  231 

Accepting 

439  Manhattan  Avenue, 

April  10,  1921. 
Dear  Harriet: 

It  is  so  kind  of  you  to  ask  me  to  your  birthday  party  next 
Friday  afternoon.    I  shall  be  very  glad  to  come. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Frank  Dawson. 


Regretting 

439  Manhattan  Avenue, 

AprU  16,  1921. 
Dear  Harriet: 

I  am  very  sorry  that  I  cannot  go  to  your  birthday  party  on 
next  Friday.  My  mother  is  taking  me  to  visit  my  cousin,  so  I 
shall  be  away. 

Thank  you  for  asking  me.  I  hope  you  will  all  have  a  great 
deal  of  fun. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Frank  Dawson. 


Invitation  from  a  parent  to  a  child 

Dear  Ethel: 

The  twins  are  going  to  have  a  little  party  on  Friday  afternoon 
and  they  would  like  you  to  come.     Can  you  come  at  three-thirty? 
Tell  your  mother  we  will  arrange  that  you  get  home  at  six. 

Cordially  yours, 

Katherine  G.  Evans. 


232  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Frmn  a  parent  to  another  parent 

Dear  Mrs.  Heyrvood : 

Dorothy  will  have  a  birthday  on  Tuesday,  the  thirteenth  of 
June.  We  are  planning,  if  the  weather  is  fine,  to  have  a  lawn 
party.  Otherwise  we  shall  have  it  in  the  house.  She  hopes  that 
you  will  let  Madeline  come  and  I  am  sure  they  will  all  have  a 
good  time. 

If  you  send  Madeline  at  four  I  will  see  that  she  returns  home 
at  six. 

Cordially  yours, 

Bemice  Lawson  Grant. 

To  a  friend 

BeUville, 

Lancaster  County,  Pa., 
June  14, 1922. 
Dear  Bob: 

Will  you  visit  us  on  the  farm  during  your  summer  vacation? 
Father  has  bought  me  a  boat  and  we  can  go  fishing  and  swimming. 
Mabel  has  a  pony  and  I  know  she  will  let  us  ride  him. 

Please  let  me  know  if  you  may  come  and  if  you  may  stay  two 
weeks. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Roger  Palmer. 

Thanhs  for  a  gift: 

159  West  Tenth  Street, 
December  12,  1921. 
Dear  Airnt  Louise : 

You  were  wonderful  to  think  of  sending  me  those  fine  skates 
for  my  birthday.  They  are  just  the  kind  I  wanted  and  I  wish 
to  thank  you.    I  shall  take  good  care  of  them. 

Your  affectionate  nephew, 
John  Orr. 


CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  2SS 

To  a  sick  'playmate 

46  Elmwood  Avenue, 

June  16, 1922. 
Dear  Dorothy: 

I  am  so  sorry  you  are  ill,  but  your  mother  says  you  are  getting 
better.  If  you  like,  I  shall  let  you  have  my  book  with  the  poem 
called  "The  Land  of  Counterpane."  It  is  about  a  sick  little 
boy  who  is  playing  with  his  toy  soldiers  and  people  and  villages. 
2n  the  picture  they  seem  to  be  making  him  forget  he  is  sick. 

All  the  boys  and  girls  hope  you  will  soon  be  out  to  play  again. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Betty  Foster. 

To  a  teacher 

500  Park  Avenue, 
New  York,  N.  Y., 
February  8,  1920. 
Dear  Miss  Sewell: 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness  in  helping  me  with  my 
studies,  especially  arithmetic.  Without  your  help  I  should  not 
have  been  able  to  pass  my  examinations. 

Mother  asks  that  you  will  come  some  day  next  week  to  take 
tea  with  us. 

Sincerely  yours, 
Susan  Evans. 

To  a  grandparent 
Dear  Grandmother: 

I  wish  you  a  very  happy  birthday  and  I  hope  you  will  like  the 
present  I  sent  you.    Mother  helped  me  to  make  it. 
I  send  you  my  best  love. 

Your  loving  grandchild, 
Evelyn. 


234  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Here  is  a  charming  letter^  that  Helen  Keller  when 
she  was  ten  years  of  age  wrote  to  John  Greenleaf 
Whittier  on  the  occasion  of  his  birthday ; 

South  Boston,  Dec.  17, 1890. 
Dear  Kind  Poet, 

This  is  your  birthday;  that  was  the  first  thought  which  came 
into  my  mind  when  I  awoke  this  morning;  and  it  made  me  glad  to 
think  I  could  write  you  a  letter  and  tell  you  how  much  your  little 
friends  love  their  sweet  poet  and  his  birthday.  This  evening 
they  are  going  to  entertain  their  friends  with  readings  from  your 
poems  and  music.  I  hope  the  swift  winged  messengers  of  love 
will  be  here  to  carry  some  of  the  sweet  melody  to  you,  in  your 
little  study  by  the  Merrimac.  At  first  I  was  very  sorry  when  I 
found  that  the  sun  had  hidden  his  shining  face  behind  dull  clouds, 
but  afterwards  I  thought  why  he  did  it,  and  then  I  was  happy. 
The  sun  knows  that  you  like  to  see  the  world  covered  with  beauti- 
ful white  snow  and  so  he  kept  back  all  his  brightness,  and  let  the 
little  crystals  form  in  the  sky.  WTien  they  are  ready,  they  wU) 
softly  fall  and  tenderly  cover  every  object.  Then  the  sun  will 
appear  in  all  his  radiance  and  fill  the  world  with  light.  If  I  were 
with  you  to-day  I  would  give  you  eighty-three  kisses,  one  for 
each  year  you  have  lived.  Eighty-three  years  seems  very  long  to 
me.  Does  it  seem  long  to  you .'  I  wonder  how  many  years  there 
will  be  in  eternity.  I  am  afraid  I  cannot  think  about  so  much 
time.  I  received  the  letter  which  you  wrote  to  me  last  summer, 
and  I  thank  you  for  it.  I  am  staying  in  Boston  now  at  the  In- 
stitution for  the  Blind,  but  I  have  not  commenced  my  studies  yet, 
because  my  dearest  friend,  Mr.  Anagnos,  wants  me  to  rest  and 
play  a  great  deal. 

Teacher  is  well  and  sends  her  kind  remembrance  to  you.    The 


iThis  and  the  letter  following  are  from  "The  Story  of  My  Life,"  by 
Helen  Keller.  Copyright,  1902.  1903,  by  Hellen  Keller.  Published  in 
book  form  by  Doubleday,  Page  &:  Co. 


CHILDREN'S  LETTERS  235 

happy  Christmas  time  is  almost  here!  I  can  hardly  wait  for  the 
f mi  to  begin !  I  hope  your  Christmas  Day  will  be  a  very  happy 
one  and  that  the  New  Year  will  be  full  of  brightness  and  joy  for 
you  and  every  one. 

From  your  little  friend 
Helen  A.  Keller. 

And  the  distinguished  poet's  reply: 

My  dear  Young  Friend: 

I  was  very  glad  to  have  such  a  pleasant  letter  on  my  birthday. 
I  had  two  or  three  hundred  others  and  thine  was  one  of  the  mos^ 
welcome  of  all.  I  must  tell  thee  about  how  the  day  passed  at 
Oak  Knoll.  Of  course  the  sun  did  not  shine,  but  we  had  great 
op>en  wood  fires  in  the  rooms,  which  were  all  very  sweet  with 
roses  and  other  flowers,  which  were  sent  to  me  from  distant 
friends;  and  fruits  of  aU  kinds  from  California  and  other  places. 
Some  relatives  and  dear  old  friends  were  with  me  through  the 
day.  I  do  not  wonder  thee  thinks  eighty-three  years  a  long  time, 
but  to  me  it  seems  but  a  very  little  while  since  I  was  a  boy  no 
older  than  thee,  playing  on  the  old  farm  at  Haverhill.  I  thank 
thee  for  all  thy  good  wishes,  and  wish  thee  as  many.  I  am  glad 
thee  is  at  the  Institution;  it  is  an  excellent  place.  Give  my  best 
regards  to  Miss  Sullivan,  and  with  a  great  deal  of  love  I  am 

Thy  old  friend, 

John  G.  Whittier. 


CHAPTER  X 
TELEGRAMS 

Perhaps  the  most  important  tiling  to  guard 
against  in  the  writing  of  telegrams  is  a  choice  oi 
words  which,  when  run  together,  may  be  read  two 
ways.  As  there  should  be  no  punctuation  (and  tele- 
graph companies  do  not  hold  themselves  responsible 
for  punctuation)  the  sentences  must  be  perfectly 
clear.  There  are  instances  where  the  use  of  punctua- 
tion has  caused  trouble. 

In  cases  where  punctuation  is  absolutely  necessary^ 
as  for  instance  when  more  than  one  subject  must  bo 
covered  in  the  same  message,  the  word  "stop"  is 
employed  to  divide  the  sentences,  as : 

Will  arrive  eight-thirty  Wednesday  stop   telephone  Gaines 
am  coming  stop  will  be  at  Hotel  Pennsylvania 

Therefore  write  sentences  so  that  when  they  are 
run  together  there  is  only  one  interpretation. 

Use  no  salutation  or  complimentary  closing. 
Leave  out  all  words  that  are  not  necessary  to  the 
meaning.  Omit  first-person  pronouns  where  they 
are  sure  to  be  understood.  Do  not  divide  words 
in  a  telegram.     Compound  words  are  accepted  as  one 


TELEGRAMS  237 

word.  Numbers  should  be  spelled  out,  principally 
because  it  is  more  likely  to  insure  correct  transmis- 
sion, and  secondly  because  it  costs  less.  For  example, 
in  the  ordinal  24th  the  suflBx  th  is  counted  as  another 
word. 

The  minimum  charge  for  telegrams  is  the  cost 
of  ten  words,  not  counting  the  name,  address,  and 
signature.  Nothing  is  saved  by  cutting  the  message 
to  less  than  ten  words.  There  is  a  certain  fixed  rate 
of  charge  for  every  word  over  ten. 

In  counting  the  words,  count  as  one  word  the  fol- 
lowing: 

I — ^Every  word  in  the  name  of  an  individual  or  a 
concern  as:  Clive  and  Meyer  Co.  (four  words) 
DeForest  and  Washburn  Co.  (four  words 
also,  as  DeForest  is  counted  as  one  word) . 

II — ^Every  dictionary  word.  In  the  case  of  cable- 
grams, words  of  over  fifteen  letters  are  counted 
as  two  words. 

Ill — ^Every  separate  letter  as  the  "M"  in  "George 
M.  Sykes"  (three  words). 

IV — ^Every  figure  in  a  number  as  598  (three  words) . 
V — ^Names  of  states,  territories,  counties,  cities, 
and  villages. 

VI — Weights  and  measures,  decimal  points,  punc- 
tuation marks  within  the  sentence. 

To  save  expense  in  long  messages  codes  can  be 
used  in  which  one  word  stands  for  several  words. 
The  Western  Union  has  an  established  code — or. 


238  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

private  codes  can  be  arranged.  Five  letters  are 
allowed  as  one  code  word.  A  word  of  six  or  seven 
letters  will  thus  count  as  two  words. 

In  cablegrams  the  use  of  codes  is  common  on  aC' 
count  of  the  higher  rate  for  cablegrams.  Since  the 
name,  address,  date,  and  signature  are  all  counted, 
code  words  are  frequently  used  for  the  name  and 
address.  Code  language  is  allowed  only  in  the  first 
class  of  cable  messages. 

Occasional  Telegkams 

A  graceful,  concise,  pertinent,  and  well-worded 
"occasional"  telegram  is  frequently  not  easy  to  write. 
The  following  forms  are  suggested  for  the  composi- 
tion of  some  of  these  telegrams.  The  longer  forms 
can  be  sent  most  cheaply  as  Night  Letters  or  Day 
Letters.  A  Night  Letter  of  fifty  words  can  be  sent 
for  the  cost  of  a  ten-word  full-rate  telegram,  i.e.,  from 
30  cents  to  $1 .20,  depending  on  the  distance.  A  Day 
Letter  of  fifty  words  can  be  sent  for  one  and  one 
half  the  cost  of  a  ten-word  full-rate  message,  i.e., 
from  45  cents  to  $1.80,  depending  on  the  distance. 

New  Year  greetings 

Best  wishes  for  the  New  Year.  May  it  bring  to  you  and  your 
family  health,  happiness,  peace,  and  prosperity.  May  it  see 
your  hopes  fulfilled  and  may  it  be  rich  in  the  successful  accom- 
plishment of  your  highest  aims. 

Best  wishes  for  a  Hjippy  New  Year. 

May  peace  and  happiness  be  yours  in  the  New  Year.  May 
fortune  smile  upon  you  and  favor  you  with  many  blessings. 


TELEGRAMS  239 

I  (We)  wish  you  a  Happy  New  Year,  a  year  big  with  success 
and  achievement,  a  year  rich  with  the  affection  of  those  who  are 
dear  to  you,  a  year  mellow  with  happiness  and  contentment. 

What  the  coming  year  may  hold  we  can  none  of  us  foresee. 
It  is  my  (our)  earnest  wish  that  for  you  it  may  bring  forth  a 
generous  harvest  of  happiness  and  good  fortune. 

May  the  coming  year  and  all  that  succeed  it  deal  lightly  and 
kindly  with  you. 

Maj'  the  coming  year  bring  you  happiness  in  fullest  measure. 

We  think  of  you  with  the  affection  born  of  our  long  friendship 
which  the  recurring  year  only  strengthens. 

May  the  New  Year  bring  you  health,  happiness,  and  all  other 
good  things. 

Health,  happiness,  and  contentment,  may  these  be  yours  in 
the  New  Year. 

May  health,  happiness,  and  prosperity  be  yours  in  bountiful 
measure  in  the  year  to  come. 

May  the  New  Year  be  a  good  year  to  you  and  yours — full  of 
health  and  happiness. 

May  each  of  the  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  of  the 
New  Year  be  a  happy  one  for  you. 

The  happiest  of  New  Years  to  you  and  yours. 

May  the  New  Year  find  you  in  the  enjoyment  of  health  and 
happiness. 


Easter  greetings 

Our  thoughts  turn  to  you  with  affection  and  best  wishes  at 
this  Easter  season  with  the  hope  that  peace,  prosperity,  and 
plenty  may  attend  your  life  to-day  and  through  all  your  days  to 
come. 

Easter  Greeting  from  a  friend  who  thinks  of  you  with  constant 
affection. 

This  Easter  Greeting  carries  to  you  the  affection  of  an  old 
friend. 


240  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

May  this  Easter  Day  find  you  in  the  enjoyment  of  health  ancf 
happiness. 

Best  wishes  for  a  happy  Easter. 

Best  wishes  for  a  happy  Easter  Day.  May  your  future  evej 
be  as  bright  as  the  Springtime. 

Just  a  message  to  a  friend,  to  convey  to  you  my  wish  that  this 
Easter  may  bring  you  happiness  and  good  fortune. 

May  Easter  gladness  fill  your  heart  to-day  and  may  all  good 
attend  you. 

I  (We)  Wish  you  joy  and  happiness  at  this  Eastertide. 

May  happiness  and  health  be  yours  on  this  Easter  Day  and  in 
the  days  to  come. 

We  all  join  in  best  wishes  for  a  happy  Easter  Day  to  you  and 
your  family. 

Easter  Greetings  to  you  and  yours. 

May  your  Easter  be  a  bright  and  happy  one. 

We  all  wish  you  and  yours  a  happy  Easter. 

Love  and  best  wishes  for  a  happy  Easter. 

My  (Our)  Easter  Greetings  go  to  you.  May  the  day  be  a 
joj'f ul  one  for  you. 


Thanksgiving  Day  greetings 

Best  wishes  for  a  happy  Thanksgiving  Day. 

Good  cheer  and  plenty,  the  love  of  your  dear  ones,  the  affection 
of  your  friends,  may  all  these  contribute  to  a  happy  Thanksgiving 
Day. 

May  your  Thanksgiving  Day  be  a  day  of  happiness  and  con- 
tentment. 

May  your  Thanksgiving  Day  be  full  of  happiness  and  all  good 
cheer. 

That  I  am  (we  are)  not  at  home  to-day  to  join  in  the  festivities 
is  a  great  sorrow  to  me  (us).     Love  to  all  the  dear  family. 

I  never  forget  the  joy  of  this  day  at  home.  Love  from  one 
far  away. 


TELEGRAMS  241 

Although  I  (we)  cannot  be  with  you  to-day  I  (we)  have  the 
memory  of  past  Thanksgiving  Days  at  home.    God  bless  you  all. 

Think  of  me  (us)  as  being  with  you  in  spirit.  My  (Our)  love 
to  you  all. 

Let  us  never  fail  to  be  thankful  that  the  years  only  increase  the 
strength  of  our  long  friendship. 

It  is  with  great  thanksgiving  that  I  (we)  think  of  my  (ouri 
dear  ones  at  home. 

My  (Our)  one  wish  this  Thanksgiving  Day  is  that  I  (we)  might 
be  with  you.     Aflfectionate  wishes  for  your  happiness. 

Though  I  (we)  cannot  be  with  you  at  the  Thanksgiving  Day 
board,  my  (our)  thoughts  are  with  you  to-day. 

Around  the  family  table  think  of  me  (us)  as  I  (we)  absent,  shall 
think  of  you.     My  (Our)  love  to  all. 

I  (We)  can  picture  you  all  at  home.  How  I  (we)  long  to  be 
with  you.    My  (Our)  love  to  all  the  family. 


Christmas  greetings 

Every  good  wish  for  a  Merry  Christmas  and  a  happy  and 
prosi>erous  New  Year.  I  need  not  tell  you  with  what  affection 
we  are  thinking  of  you  and  yours  at  this  Christmas  season.  God 
bless  you  all. 

Every  good  wish  for  a  Merry  Christmas  and  a  happy  and 
prosperous  New  Year. 

My  (Our)  very  best  wishes  for  a  Merry  Christma*}. 

Merry  Christmas  to  you  and  yours. 

May  your  Christmas  be  a  very  happy  one. 

Merry  Christmas  to  you  and  all  the  family. 

We  all  join  in  wishing  you  a  Merrj'  Christmas. 

All  affection  and  good  wishes  for  a  Merry  Christmas  to  you  and 
yours. 

That  your  Christmas  be  a  very  happy  one  is  the  wish  of  your 
sincere  friend. 

May  Christmas  bring  you  joy  and  happiness. 


242  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

You  are  constantly  in  my  (our)  thoughts  which  carry  to  you 
to-day  all  affectionate  wishes  for  a  Happy  Christmas. 

A  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year. 

Best  wishes  for  a  Merry  Christmas  and  Happy  New  Year. 

Love  and  a  Merry  Christmas  to  you  all. 

May  your  Christmas  be  a  merry  one  and  the  New  Year  full  of 
happiness. 

Affectionate  greetings  for  a  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy 
New  Year. 

May  this  Christmas  find  you  well  and  happy.  Love  and  best 
wishes  to  you  and  yours. 

May  Christmas  bring  you  naught  but  joy  and  banish  all  care 
and  sorrow. 

^joins  me  in  very  best  wishes  for  a  Merry  Christmas. 

A  Merry  Christmas  to  all  the  dear  ones  at  home. 

It  is  my  (our)  dearest  wish  that  I  (we)  might  be  with  you  at 
this  season  of  happiness  and  good-will — ^Merry  Christmas  and 
Happy  New  Year. 

Birthday  greetings  , 

Many  happy  returns  of  the  day.  My  (Our)  pJFectionate 
thoughts  and  every  good  wish  go  to  you  on  this  your  birthday. 

May  each  succeeding  year  bring  to  you  the  best  satisfaction 
which  life  holds. 

Many  happy  returns  of  the  day. 

Best  wishes  for  a  happy  birthday. 

Best  wishes  for  your  birthday.  May  all  your  ways  be  pleasant 
ways  and  all  your  days  be  happy  days. 

Birthday  greetings.  I  (We)  wish  you  a  long  life  and  every- 
thing that  makes  a  long  life  worth  living. 

Best  wishes  for  your  birthday.  May  you  live  long  and  pros- 
per. 

My  (Our)  thoughts  are  with  you  on  your  birthday.  May  ali 
your  days  be  happy  da^-s. 


TELEGRAMS  243 

I  (We)  wish  you  many  happy  years  blessed  with  health,  success, 
and  friendship  and  filled  with  all  the  best  that  life  can  hold. 

We  all  join  in  best  wishes  for  a  very  happy  birthday  and  many 
years  of  health  and  prosperity. 

We  all  join  in  best  wishes  for  a  very  happy  birthday. 

May  your  birthday  mark  the  dawn  of  a  year  of  health,  happi- 
ness, and  good  fortune. 

Wedding  messages 

Sincerest  congratulations  to  the  bride  and  groom  from  an 
old  friend  who  wishes  you  both  years  of  health,  happiness,  and 
prosperity.  May  the  future  hold  only  the  best  for  you  that  this 
world  can  give. 

Heartiest  congratulations.  I  (We)  wish  you  many  years  of 
happiness. 

Mrs. and  I  join  in  heartiest  congratulations. 

Hearty  congratulations.  May  your  years  be  many  and  happy 
ones. 

My  (Our)  sincerest  and  best  wishes  for  your  happiness. 

We  all  join  in  hearty  congratulations  and  best  wishes. 

May  happiness,  health,  and  prosperity  be  with  you  through 
the  years  to  come. 

May  all  good  fortune  attend  you,  may  your  sky  ever  be  bright, 
may  no  clouds  of  sorrow  or  trouble  shadow  it,  and  may  your 
path  be  long  and  filled  with  joy. 

Every  happiness  be  yours  dear on  this  your  Wedding  Day. 

Let  an  old  family  friend  send  his  (her)  love  and  congratulations 
to  the  bride  and  groom. 

May  all  good  fairies  watch  over  you.  May  they  keep  far 
from  you  all  care  and  sorrow  and  brighten  your  path  with  sim- 
shine  and  happiness. 

To  the  bride  and  groom,  love  and  congratulations  from  an  old 
friend. 

May  this  day  be  the  beginning  of  a  long,  happy,  and  prosperous 
life  for  you  both. 


244  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

On  the  birth  of  a  child 

Love  to  the  dear  mother  and  her  little  son  (daughter). 

Heartiest  congratulations  and  love  to  mother  and  son  (daugh- 
ter). 

We  rejoice  with  you  in  the  happiness  that  has  come  into  your 
lives.     Love  to  mother  and  son  (daughter). 

My  best  wishes  to  the  newly  arrived  son  (daughter)  and  to  his 
(her)  mother. 

We  are  all  (I  am)  delighted  to  hear  the  news.  Hearty  con- 
gratulations. 

A  warm  welcome  to  the  new  arrival  and  best  wishes  for  his  (her) 
health  and  happiness. 

To  the  dear  mother  and  her  little  son  (daughter)  love  and  every 
good  wish. 

Hearty  congratulations  on  the  arrival  of  the  new  son  (daugh- 
ter). 

Messages  of  condolence 

You  have  my  heartfelt  sympathy  in  this  hour  of  your  bereave- 
ment. I  wish  I  might  find  words  in  which  to  express  my  sorrow 
at  your  loss  which  is  also  mine.  May  you  have  the  strength  to 
bear  this  great  aflBiction. 

You  have  my  (our)  heartfelt  sympathy. 

My  (Our)  heartfelt  sympathy  in  your  great  sorrow. 

I  (We)  want  you  to  know  with  what  tender  sympathy  I  am 
(We  are)  thinking  of  you  in  these  days  of  your  bereavement. 

My  (Our)  sincere  and  heartfelt  sympathy. 

I  (We)  have  just  heard  of  your  great  affliction.  Let  me  (us) 
send  to  you  my  (our)  heartfelt  sympathy. 

My  (Our)  sincere  sympathy. 

Li  the  death  of  your  dear  father  (mother — wife — sister — ^bro- 
ther) I  (we)  have  lost  one  whom  it  was  my  (our)  privilege  to  call 
my  (our)  friend.  My  (our)  heartfelt  sympathy  goes  out  to  you 
in  your  sorrow. 


TELEGRAMS  245 

joins  me  in  the  expression  of  our  deepest  sympathy. 

My  (Our)  love  and  sympathy  go  out  to  you  in  your  great  sorrow. 

I  (We)  share  your  sorrow  for  I  (we)  have  lost  a  dear  friend. 
All  love  and  sympathy  to  you  and  yours. 

I  (We)  send  you  my  (our)  heartfelt  sympathy.  To  have  en- 
joyed the  friendship  of  your  father  (husband — brother)  I  (we) 
hold  one  of  the  greatest  privileges  of  my  life  (our  lives). 

My  (Our)  sincere  sympathy  goes  out  to  you  in  your  heavy 
affliction. 

My  (Our)  love  and  sympathy  in  your  sudden  affliction. 

I  am  (We  are)  greatly  shocked  at  the  sad  news.  You  have  my 
(our)  deepest  sympathy. 

My  (Our)  deepest  sympathy  in  your  great  loss.  K  there  is 
anything  I  (we)  can  do,  do  not  hesitate  to  let  me  (us)  know. 

Congratulation  to  a  school  or  college  graduate 

May  your  future  be  as  successful  as  have  been  your  school 
(college)  days.    Heartiest  congratulations  upon  your  graduation. 

I  am  (We  are)  proud  of  your  success.  May  the  future  grant 
you  opportunity  and  the  fulffllment  of  your  hopes. 

I  (We)  hear  that  you  have  taken  class  honors.  Sincerest  con- 
gratulations and  best  wishes. 

May  your  Class  Day  be  favored  with  sunny  skies  and  your  life 
be  full  of  happiness  and  success. 
" '  Sincerest  congratulations  upon  your  graduation. 

Congratulations  upon  your  school  (college)  success,  so  happily 
terminated  to-day. 

I  (We)  regret  that  I  (we)  cannot  be  with  you  to-day  to  see 
you  take  your  new  honors.    Sincerest  congratulations. 

Congratulation  to  a  public  man 

Heartiest  congratulations  on  your  splendid  success. 
We  have  just  heard  of  your  success.    Sincere  congratulations 
and  best  wishes  for  the  future. 


<M  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Heartiest  congratulations  on  your  nomination  (election). 

Your  nomination  (election)  testifies  to  the  esteem  in  which 
you  are  held  by  your  fellow  citizens.     Heartiest  congratulations. 

Congratulations  on  your  victory,  a  hard  fight,  well  won  by  the 
best  man. 

Your  splendid  majority  must  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  you. 
Sincerest  congratulations  on  your  election. 

Congratulations  upon  your  nomination.  You  will  have  the 
support  of  the  best  element  in  the  community  and  your  election 
should  be  a  foregone  conclusion.    I  wish  you  every  success. 

You  fought  a  good  fight  in  a  good  cause.  Heartiest  con- 
gratulations on  your  splendid  success. 

Nothing  in  your  career  should  fill  you  with  greater  satisfaction 
than  your  successful  election.  I  congratulate  you  with  all  my 
heart. 

No  man  deserves  success  more  than  you.  You  have  worked 
hard  for  your  constituents  and  they  appreciate  it.  Heartiest 
congratulations . 

Your  nomination  (election)  is  received  with  the  greatest  en- 
thusiasm by  your  friends  here  and  by  none  more  than  myself. 
Heartiest  congratulations. 

I  congratulate  you  upon  your  new  honors  won  by  distinguished 
services  to  your  fellow  citizens. 

Your  campaign  was  vigorous  and  fine.  Your  victory  testifies 
to  the  people's  confidence  in  you  and  your  cause.  Warmest 
congratulations. 

Congratulations  upon  j'our  well-won  victory  and  best  wishes 
for  your  future  success. 

You  deserve  your  splendid  success.     Sincerest  congratulations. 

I  cannot  refrain  from  expressing  my  p>ersonal  appreciation  of 
your  eloquent  address.     Warmest  congratulations. 

Your  address  last  night  was  splendid.  What  a  gift  you  have. 
Sincerest  congratulations. 

Heartiest  congratulations  on  your  splendid  speech  of  last 
night.     Everybody  is  praising  it. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  LAW  OF  LETTERS— CONTRACT 
LETTERS 

There  are  forty-eiglit  states  in  this  Union,  and  each 
of  them  has  its  own  laws  and  courts.  In  addition  we 
have  the  Federal  Government  with  its  own  laws  and 
courts.  In  one  class  of  cases,  the  Federal  courts 
follow  the  state  laws  which  govern  the  particular  oc- 
casion; in  another  class  of  cases,  notably  in  those 
involving  the  interpretation  or  application  of  the 
United  States  statutes,  the  Federal  courts  follow 
Federal  law.  There  is  not  even  a  degree  of  uni- 
formity governing  the  state  laws,  and  especially  is 
this  true  in  criminal  actions,  for  crimes  are  purely 
statutory  creations. 

Therefore  it  is  extremely  misleading  to  give  any 
but  the  vaguest  and  most  elementary  suggestions  on 
the  law  which  governs  letters.  To  be  clear  and 
specific  means  inevitably  to  be  misleading.  I  was 
talking  with  a  lawyer  friend  not  long  since  about 
general  text-books  on  law  which  might  be  useful  to 
the  layman.  He  was  rather  a  commercially  minded 
person  and  he  spoke  fervently: 

"If  I  wanted  to  build  up  a  practice  and  I  did  not 

247 


«48  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

care  how  I  did  it,  I  should  select  one  hundred  well-to- 
do  people  and  see  that  each  of  them  got  a  copy  of  a 
compendium  of  business  law.  Then  I  should  sit 
back  and  wait  for  them  to  come  in — and  come  in  they 
would,  for  every  mother's  son  of  them  would  decide 
that  he  had  a  knowledge  of  the  law  and  cheerfully 
go  ahead  getting  himself  into  trouble." 

Sharpen  up  a  man's  knowledge  of  the  law  and  he 
is  sure  to  cut  himself.  For  the  law  is  rarely  ab- 
solute. Most  questions  are  of  mixed  fact  and  law. 
Were  it  otherwise,  there  would  be  no  occasion  for 
juries,  for,  roughly,  juries  decide  facts.  The  court 
decides  the  application  of  the  law.  The  layman 
tends  to  think  that  laws  are  rules,  when  more  often 
they  are  only  guides.  The  cheapest  and  best  way  to 
decide  points  of  law  is  to  refer  them  to  counsel  for 
decision.  Unless  a  layman  will  take  the  time  and 
the  trouble  most  exhaustively  to  read  works  of  law 
and  gain  something  in  the  nature  of  a  working  legal 
knowledge,  he  had  best  take  for  granted  that  he 
knows  nothing  whatsoever  of  law  and  refer  all  legal 
matters  to  counsel. 

There  are,  however,  a  few  principles  of  general  ap- 
plication that  may  serve,  not  in  the  stead  of  legal 
knowledge,  but  to  acquaint  one  with  the  fact  that  a 
legal  question  may  be  involved,  for  legal  questions 
by  no  means  always  formally  present  themselves  in 
barristers'  gowns.  They  spring  up  casually  and  un- 
expectedly. 

Take  the  whole  question  of  contract.    A  contract 


THE  LAW  OF  LETTERS  249 

is  not  of  necessity  a  formal  instrument.  A  contract 
is  a  meeting  of  minds.  If  I  say  to  a  man:  "Will  you 
cut  my  lawn  for  ten  dollars.'*"  and  he  answers, 
"Yes,"  as  valid  a  contract  is  established  as  though 
we  had  gone  to  a  scrivener  and  had  covered  a  folio  of 
parchment  with  "Whereases"  and  "Know  all  men 
by  these  presents"  and  "Be  it  therefore"  and  had 
wound  up  with  red  seals  and  ribbons.  But  of  course 
many  legal  questions  could  spring  out  of  this  oral 
agreement.  We  might  dispute  as  to  what  was  meant 
by  cutting  the  lawn.  And  then,  again,  the  time  ele- 
ment would  enter.  Was  the  agreement  that  the 
lawn  should  be  cut  the  next  day,  or  the  next  month, 
or  the  next  year.f*  Contracts  do  not  have  to  be  in 
writing.  All  that  the  writing  does  is  to  make  the 
proof  of  the  exact  contract  easier. 

If  we  have  the  entirety  of  a  contract  within  the 
four  comers  of  a  sheet  of  paper,  then  we  need  no 
further  evidence  as  to  the  existence  of  the  contract, 
although  we  may  be  in  just  as  hopeless  a  mess  trying 
to  define  what  the  words  of  the  contract  mean.  If 
we  have  not  a  written  contract,  we  have  the  bother 
of  introducing  oral  evidence  to  show  that  there  was  a 
contract.  Most  contracts  nowadays  are  formed  by 
the  interchange  of  letters,  and  the  general  point  to 
remember  is  that  the  acceptance  must  be  in  terms 
of  the  offer.  If  X  writes  saying:  "I  will  sell  you 
twenty  tons  of  coal  at  fifteen  dollars  a  ton,"  and  Y 
replies:  "I  will  take  thirty  tons  of  coal  at  thirteen 
dollars  a  ton,"  there  is  no  contract,  but  merely  a 


S50  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

series  of  offers.  If,  however,  X  ships  the  thirty  tons 
of  coal,  he  can  hold  Y  only  at  thirteen  dollars  a  ton 
for  he  has  abandoned  his  original  offer  and  accepted 
Y's  offer.  It  can  be  taken  as  a  general  principle  that 
if  an  offer  be  not  accepted  in  its  terms  and  a  new 
condition  be  introduced,  then  the  acceptance  really 
becomes  an  offer,  and  if  the  one  who  made  the  original 
offer  goes  ahead,  it  can  be  assumed  that  he  has  agreed 
to  the  modifications  of  the  unresponsive  acceptance. 
If  X  writes  to  Y  making  an  offer,  one  of  the  conditions 
of  which  is  that  it  must  be  accepted  within  ten  days, 
and  Y  accepts  in  fifteen  days,  then  X  can,  if  he  likes, 
disregard  the  acceptance,  but  he  can  waive  his  ten- 
day  time  limit  and  take  Y's  acceptance  as  a  really 
binding  agreement. 

Another  point,  sometimes  of  considerable  impor- 
tance, concerns  the  time  when  a  letter  takes  effect, 
and  this  is  governed  by  the  question  of  fact  as  to 
whom  the  Post  Oflice  Department  is  acting  for. 
If,  in  making  an  offer,  I  ask  for  a  reply  by  mail  or 
simply  for  a  reply,  I  constitute  the  mail  as  my  agent, 
and  the  acceptor  of  that  offer  will  be  presumed  to 
have  communicated  with  me  at  the  moment  when  he 
consigns  his  letter  to  the  mails.  He  must  give  the 
letter  into  proper  custody — that  is,  it  must  go  into  the 
regular  and  authorized  channels  for  the  reception  of 
mail.  That  done,  it  makes  no  difference  whether  or 
not  the  letter  ever  reaches  the  offerer.  It  has  been 
delivered  to  his  agent,  and  delivery  to  an  agent  is 
delivery  to  the  principal.     Therefore,  it  is  wise  to 


THE  LAW  OF  LETTERS  251 

specify  in  an  offer  that  the  acceptance  has  to  be 
actually  received. 

The  law  with  respect  to  the  agency  of  the  mails 
varies  and  turns  principally  upon  questions  of  fact. 

Letters  may,  of  course,  be  libelous.  The  law  of 
libel  varies  widely  among  the  several  states,  and 
there  are  also  Federal  laws  as  well  as  Postal  Regula- 
tions covering  matters  which  are  akin  to  libel.  The 
answer  to  libel  is  truth,  but  not  always,  for  sometimes 
the  truth  may  be  spread  with  so  malicious  an  intent 
as  to  support  an  action.  It  is  not  well  to  put  into  a 
letter  any  derogatory  or  subversive  statement  that 
cannot  be  fully  proved.  This  becomes  of  particular 
importance  in  answering  inquiries  concerning  char- 
acter or  credit,  but  in  practically  every  case  libel  is  a 
question  of  fact. 

Another  point  that  arises  concerns  the  property  in 
a  letter.  Does  he  who  receives  a  letter  acquire  full 
property  in  it?  May  he  publish  it  without  permis- 
sion? In  general  he  does  not  acquire  full  property. 
Mr.  Justice  Story,  in  a  leading  case,  says: 

"The  author  of  any  letter  or  letters,  and  his  repre- 
sentatives, whether  they  are  literary  letters  or  letters 
of  business,  possess  the  sole  and  exclusive  copjTight 
therein;  and  no  person,  neither  those  to  whom  they 
are  addressed,  nor  other  persons,  have  any  right  or 
authority  to  publish  the  same  upon  their  own  account 
or  for  their  benefit." 

But  then,  again,  there  are  exceptions. 


CHAPTER  Xn 
THE  COST  OF  A  LETTER 

Discovering  the  exact  cost  of  a  letter  is  by  no 
means  an  easy  affair.  However,  approximate  figures 
may  always  be  had  and  they  are  extremely  useful. 
The  cost  of  writing  an  ordinary  letter  is  quite  sur- 
prising. Very  few  letters  can  be  dictated,  tran- 
scribed, and  mailed  at  a  cost  of  much  less  than  twelve 
cents  each.  The  factors  which  govern  costs  are 
variable  and  it  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  meth- 
ods for  ascertaining  costs  as  here  given  represent  the 
least  cost  and  not  the  real  cost — they  simply  tell 
you  "Your  letter  costs  at  least  this  sum."  They  do 
not  say  "Your  letter  costs  exactly  this  sum."  The 
cost  of  a  form  letter,  mailed  in  quantities,  can  be 
gotten  at  with  considerable  accuracy.  The  cost  of 
letters  dictated  by  correspondents  or  by  credit  de- 
partments or  other  routine  departments  is  also  cap- 
able of  approximation  with  fair  accuracy,  but  the 
cost  of  a  letter  written  by  an  executive  can  really 
hardly  be  more  than  guessed  at.  But  in  any  case  a 
"not-less-than"  cost  can  be  had. 

In  recent  years  industrial  engineers  have  done  a 
great  deal  of  work  in  ascertaining  oflSce  costs  and 
have  devised  many  useful. plans  for  lowering  them. 


THE  COST  OF  A  LETTER  253 

These  plans  mostly  go  to  the  saving  of  stenographers* 
time  through  suitable  equipment,  better  arrangement 
of  supplies,  and  specialization  of  duties.  For  instance, 
light,  the  kind  or  height  of  chair  or  desk,  the  tension 
of  the  typewriter,  the  location  of  the  paper  and  car- 
bon paper,  all  tend  to  make  or  break  the  efficiency 
of  the  typist  and  are  cost  factors.  In  offices  where  a 
great  deal  of  routine  mail  is  handled,  the  writing  of 
the  envelopes  and  the  mailing  is  in  the  hands  of  a 
separate  department  of  specialists  with  sealing  and 
stamp  affixing  machines.  The  proper  planning  of  a 
correspondence  department  is  a  science  in  itself,  and 
several  good  books  exist  on  the  subject.  But  all  of 
this  has  to  do  with  the  routine  letter. 

WTien  an  executive  drawing  a  high  salary  must 
write  a  letter,  it  is  his  time  and  not  the  time  of  the 
stenographer  that  counts.  He  cannot  be  kept  wait- 
ing for  a  stenographer,  and  hence  it  is  economy  for  him 
to  have  a  personal  secretary  even  if  he  does  not  write 
enough  letters  to  keep  a  single  machine  busy  through 
more  than  a  fraction  of  a  day.  Many  busy  men  do 
not  dictate  letters  at  all;  they  have  secretaries  skilled 
in  letter  writing.  In  fact,  a  man  whose  salary  ex- 
ceeds thirty  thousand  dollars  a  year  cannot  afford  to 
write  a  letter  excepting  on  a  very  important  subject. 
He  will  commonly  have  a  secretary  who  can  write  the 
letter  after  only  a  word  or  two  indicating  the  subject 
matter.  Part  of  the  qualification  of  a  good  secretary 
is  an  ability  to  compose  letters  which  are  character-f 
istic  of  the  principal. 


254  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

Take  first  the  cost  of  a  circular  letter — one  that  is 
sent  out  in  quantities  without  any  effort  to  secure  a 
personal  effect.     The  items  of  cost  are: 

(1)  The  postage. 

(2)  The  paper  and  printing. 

(3)  The  cost  of  addressing,  sealing,  stamping,  and 
mailing. 

The  third  item  is  the  only  one  that  offers  any 
difficulty.  Included  in  it  are  first  the  direct  labor — 
the  wages  of  the  human  beings  employed;  and, 
second,  the  overhead  expense.  The  second  item  in- 
cludes the  value  of  the  space  occupied  by  the  letter 
force,  the  depreciation  on  the  equipment,  and  finally 
the  supervision  and  the  executive  expense  properly 
chargeable  to  the  department.  Unless  an  accurate 
cost  system  is  in  force  the  third  item  cannot  be  ac- 
curately calculated.  The  best  that  can  be  done  is  to 
take  the  salaries  of  the  people  actually  employed  on 
the  work  and  guess  at  the  proper  charge  for  the  space. 
The  sum  of  the  three  items  divided  by  the  number  of 
letters  is  the  cost  per  letter.  It  is  not  an  accurate 
cost.  It  will  be  low  rather  than  high,  for  probably 
the  full  share  of  overhead  expense  will  not  be  charged. 

It  will  be  obvious,  however,  that  the  place  to  send 
out  circular  letters  is  not  a  room  in  a  high-priced 
office  building,  unless  the  sending  is  an  occasional 
rather  than  a  steady  practice.  Costs  in  this  work 
are  cut  by  better  planning  of  the  work  and  facilities, 
setting  work  standards,  paying  a  bonus  in  excess  of 


THE  COST  OF  A  LETTER  Q55 

the  standards,  and  by  the  introduction  of  automatic 
machinery.  The  Post  OflBce  now  permits,  under 
certain  conditions,  the  use  of  a  machine  which  prints 
a  stamp  that  is  really  a  frank.  This  is  now  being 
used  very  generally  by  concerns  which  have  a  heavy 
outgoing  mail.  Then  there  are  sealing  machines, 
work  conveyors,  and  numerous  other  mechanical  and 
physical  arrangements  which  operate  to  reduce  the 
costs.  They  are  useful,  however,  only  if  the  output 
be  very  large  indeed. 

The  personally  dictated  letter  has  these  costs: 

(1)  The  postage. 

(2)  The  stationery. 

(3)  The  dictator's  time — both  in  dictating  and 
signing. 

(4)  The  stenographer's  time. 

(5)  The  direct  overhead  expense,  which  includes 
the  space  occupied,  the  supervision,  the  ex- 
ecutive overhead,  and  like  items. 

The  troublesome  items  here  are  numbers  three  and 
five.  If  the  dictator  is  a  correspondent  then  the 
calculation  of  how  much  it  costs  him  to  dictate  a 
letter  is  his  salary  plus  the  overhead  on  the  space  that 
he  occupies,  divided  by  the  number  of  letters  that  he 
writes  in  an  average  month.  It  takes  him  longer  to 
write  a  long  than  a  short  letter,  but  routine  letters  will 
average  fairly  over  a  period  of  a  month.  But  an  ex- 
ecutive who  writes  only  letters  that  cannot  be  written 
by  correspondents  or  lower  salaried  men  commonly 


256  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

does  so  many  other  things  in  the  course  of  a  day  that^ 
although  his  average  time  of  dictation  per  letter  may 
be  ascertained  and  a  cost  gotten  at,  the  figure  will  not 
be  a  true  cost,  for  the  dictation  of  an  important  letter 
comes  only  after  a  consideration  of  the  subject  matter 
which  commonly  takes  much  longer  than  the  actual 
dictation.  And  then,  again,  the  higher  executive  is 
usually  an  erratic  letter  writer — ^he  may  take  two 
minutes  or  twenty  minutes  over  an  ordinary  ten- 
line  letter.  Some  men  read  their  letters  very  care- 
fully after  transcription.  The  cost  of  this  must  also 
be  reckened  in. 

The  cost  of  any  letter  is  therefore  a  matter  of  the 
particular  office.  It  will  vary  from  six  or  seven 
cents  for  a  letter  made  up  of  form  paragraphs  to 
three  or  four  dollars  for  a  letter  written  by  a  high- 
salaried  president  of  a  large  corporation.  A  fair 
average  cost  for  a  personally  dictated  letter  written 
on  good  paper  is  computed  by  one  of  the  leading 
paper  manufacturers,  after  a  considerable  survey, 
to  be: 


Postage 

.0200 

Printing  letterheads  and  envelopes 

.0062 

Stenographic  wages  (50  letters  per 

day,  $20.00  per  week) 

.0727 

Office  overhead 

.0727 

Paper  and  envelopes 

.0054 

$.1770 


THE  COST  OF  A  LETTER  257 

The  above  does  not  include  the  expense  of  dicta- 
tion. 

It  will  pay  any  man  who  writes  a  considerable 
number  of  letters  to  discover  what  his  costs  are — and^ 
then  make  his  letters  so  effective  that  there  will  be 
fewer  of  them. 


CHAPTER  Xin 
STATIONERY,  CRESTS    AND   MONOGRAMS 

Social  Correspondence 

For  all  social  correspondence  use  plain  sheets  of 
paper,  without  lines,  of  white  or  cream,  or  perhaps 
light  gray  or  a  very  dull  blue.  But  white  or  cream  is 
the  safest.  Select  a  good  quahty.  Either  a  smooth 
vellum  finish  or  a  rough  linen  finish  is  correct.  For 
long  letters  there  is  the  large  sheet,  about  five  by  six 
and  one  half  inches,  or  it  may  be  even  larger.  There 
is  a  somewhat  smaller  size,  about  four  and  one  half 
by  five  and  one  half  or  six  inches  for  formal  notes, 
and  a  still  smaller  size  for  a  few  words  of  congratula- 
tion or  condolence.  The  social  note  must  be  ar- 
ranged so  as  to  be  contained  on  the  first  page  only. 

A  man  should  not,  for  his  social  correspondence, 
use  office  or  hotel  stationery.  His  social  stationery 
should  be  of  a  large  size. 

Envelopes  may  be  either  square  or  oblong. 

In  the  matter  of  perfumed  stationery,  if  perfume 
is  used  at  all,  it  must  be  very  delicate.  Strong  per- 
fumes or  perfumes  of  a  pronounced  type  have  a 
distinctly  unpleasant  effect  on  many  people  It  is 
better  form  to  use  none. 

258 


REVERIE.  COTTAGE 

FIVE  SOUTH  LAKE  TRAIL 

PALM  BEACH.  FLORIDA 


620  ALteoMCNy  Street 
HoLLiOArseuRO,  Pennsylvania 


1804   DE  LANCEY  PLACE 
PHILADELPHIA 


432  OLEY  STREET 


I. 


_^^  MOORESTOWN.  BURUNffTON  COUmY 


y 


P*>p"*'  MEWr  JERSEV 


114  CAST  MONTGOMCftr  AVENUS 

'aromore.  Pennsylvania 


Specimens  of  addressed  social  stationery 
9B» 


THE   CHILDREN'S  GARDEN 

«•  WEST  tlOHTY-riFTH  STRKCT 
NCW  VOKK  CITY 


ll«l*M    riNN    SCOTT 
CKILOOIAanDtTiCIAK 


TKkBFMONC  SCMUVUKR  C«TO 


Pxim.ragUia.Bel. 


316  SOUTH  TWENTY-RRST  STREET 


our  OP  BOUNDS 
'MAVtRFORO,  rcNNSYLVAMI* 


ORANGE  AVENUE 
EUSTIS.FLOIUm 


Specimens  of  addressed  social  stationery.     (The  first  specimen  is  business 
stationery  in  social  form) 


260 


CRESTS  AND  MONOGRAIMS  261 

An  inviolable  rule  is  to  use  black  ink. 

The  most  approved  forms  of  letter  and  notepaper 
(although  the  use  of  addressed  paper  is  not  at  all 
obligatory  and  it  is  perfectly  proper  to  use  plain 
paper)  have  the  address  stamped  in  Roman  or  Gothic 
lettering  at  the  top  of  the  sheet  in  the  centre  or  at 
the  right-hand  side  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch 
from  the  top.  The  color  used  may  be  black,  white, 
dark  blue,  dark  green,  silver,  or  gold.  Country 
houses,  where  there  are  frequent  visitors,  have 
adopted  the  custom  of  placing  the  address  at  the 
upper  right  and  the  telephone,  railroad  station,  and 
post  oflSce  at  the  left.  The  address  may  also  appear 
on  the  reverse  flap  of  the  envelope. 

Crests  and  monograms  are  not  used  when  the  ad- 
dress is  engraved  at  the  top  of  a  letter  sheet.  Ob- 
\dously  the  crowding  of  address  and  crest  or  mono- 
gram would  not  be  conducive  to  good  appearance  in 
the  letter. 

A  monogram,  originally  a  cipher  consisting  of  a 
single  letter,  is  a  design  of  two  or  more  letters  inter- 
twined. It  is  defined  as  a  charactor  of  several  letters 
in  one,  or  made  to  appear  as  one.  The  letters  may 
be  all  the  letters  of  a  name,  or  the  initial  letters  of  the 
Christian  and  surnames. 

Many  of  the  early  Greek  and  Roman  coins  bear  the 
monograms  of  rulers  or  of  the  town  in  which  they  were 
struck.  The  Middle  Ages  saw  the  invention  of  all 
sorts  of  ciphers  or  monograms,  artistic,  commercial, 
and  ecclesiastical.    Every  great  personage  had  his 


The  monograms  in  the  best  taste  are  the  small  round  ones,  but  many  pleasing; 

designs  may  be  had  in  the  diamond,  square,  and  oblong  shapes 

262 


•f 


Specimens  of  crested  letter  and  notepaper 
2631 


264  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

monogram.  The  merchants  used  them,  the  "mer- 
chant's mark"  being  the  merchant's  initials  mingled 
with  a  private  device  and  almost  invariably  a  cross, 
as  a  protection  against  disaster  or  to  distinguish  their 
wares  from  those  of  Mohammedan  eastern  traders. 
Early  printers  used  monograms,  and  they  serve  to 
identify  early  printed  books. 

A  famous  monogram  is  the  interlaced  "H.D."  of 
Henry  U  and  Diane  de  Poitiers.  It  appeared  lav- 
ishly upon  every  building  which  Henry  II  erected. 
It  was  also  stamped  on  the  bindings  in  the  royal 
librarj^  with  the  bow,  the  quiver,  and  the  crescent  of 
Diana. 

Monograms  and  crests  on  stationery,  after  a  period 
of  disuse,  seem  to  be  coming  into  favor  again.  The 
monograms  in  the  best  taste  are  the  small  round 
ones,  though  very  pleasing  designs  may  be  had  in 
the  diamond,  square,  and  oblong  shapes.  They 
should  not  be  elaborate,  and  no  brilliant  colors  should 
be  used.  The  stamping  is  best  done  in  black,  white, 
dark  green,  dark  blue,  gold,  or  silver.  The  crest  or 
monogram  may  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  sheet 
or  on  the  left-hand  side  about  three  quarters  of  an 
inch  from  the  top.  The  address  may  be  in  the  centre 
or  at  the  right-hand  side.  But,  as  noted  above,  to 
use  both  addressed  and  monogrammed  or  crested 
paper  is  not  good  taste.  The  best  stationery  seems 
to  run  simply  to  addressed  paper. 

Crests  and  monograms  should  not  be  used  on  the 
envelope.    In  the  matter  of  crests  and  heraldic  em- 


CRESTS  AND  MONOGRAMS  265 

blems  on  stationery  and  announcements,  many  fam- 
ilies with  authentic  crests  discontinued  their  use  dur- 
ing the  war  in  an  effort  to  reduce  everything  to  the 
last  word  in  simplicity.  However,  there  are  many 
who  still  use  them.  The  best  engravers  will  not 
design  crests  for  families  without  the  right  to  use 
them.  But  the  extreme  in  "crests"  is  the  crest 
which  does  not  mean  family  at  all,  but  is  a  device 
supposed  to  give  an  idea  of  the  art  or  taste  of  the  in- 
dividual. For  example,  a  quill  or  a  scroll  may  be 
the  basis  for  such  a  "crest." 

Really  no  good  reason  exists  why,  in  default  of  a 
family  with  a  crest,  one  should  not  decide  to  be  a 
crest  founder.  The  only  point  is  that  the  crest 
should  not  pretend  to  be  something  it  is  not — a 
hereditary  affair. 

On  the  use  of  crests  in  stationery  one  authority 
says: 

As  to  the  important  question  of  crests  and  heraldic  emblems 
in  our  present-day  stationery,  these  are  being  widely  used,  but  no 
crests  are  made  to  order  where  the  family  itself  has  none.  Only 
such  crests  as  definitely  belong  to  the  family  are  ever  engraved  on 
notepaper,  cards,  or  any  new  style  of  place  cards.  Several 
stationers  maintain  special  departments  where  crests  are  looked 
up  and  authenticated  and  such  families  as  are  found  in  Fairbaim's 
Crests,  Burke's  Peerage,  Almanche  de  Gotha,  the  Armoire  Gen- 
eral, are  utilized  to  help  in  the  establishment  of  the  armorial 
bearing  of  American  families.  Of  course,  the  College  of  Heraldry 
is  always  available  where  the  American  family  can  trace  its 
ancestors  to  Great  Britain. 

Many  individuals  use  the  coat-of-arms  of  their  mothers,  but 


i 


f 


Specimens  of  monogrammed  stationery 
266 


Miller,  Franklin.  Basset  s  CoMPAMT 


C.«  •OOl.WOWTM. 

«MU  «A»MM>1KUI|00«-K«  TOM 

•.mDBTO,      «M&M*>»<Mf  nM<« 

MMMornec 

■OOISOIITH  BLA*  «C«  TOM.M.f 

P.  W.WOOLWORTH 

WOOLWOATH  BUILOINO 

CO. 

,   %fit»Om  «N«UINO 

•  WrrALO.KT                        CHtCA*0.tlX. 

*"                       NEW  YORK 

«M^i«.r«««eg. 

•H»2^i>M|<rwM     ILi^llli^.cAk              CXCCUTivc  orrict 

EASTMAN  KODAK  COMPANY 

ROCHESTER.  N.T. 


The  Yai.e  &  Towne  Manufacturin©  Compahy 

Sl'SAMTPRP.  C9NM, 


The  Natioxai. Cash  Register  Compajtt 

DAYTOHtOatO 

Specimens  of  business  letterheads 
267 


268  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

according  to  heraldry  they  really  have  no  right  to  do  so.  The 
woman  to-day  could  use  her  father's  and  husband's  crests  to- 
gether if  the  crests  are  properlj'  in  pale,  that  is,  if  a  horizontal  line 
be  drawn  to  cut  the  shield  in  two — the  husband's  on  the  left,  the 
father's  on  the  right.  If  the  son  wants  to  use  the  father's  and 
mother's  crest,  this  must  be  quartered  to  conform  to  rule,  the 
arms  of  the  father  to  be  in  the  first  and  fourth  quarter;  that  of 
the  mother  in  the  second  and  third  quarter.  The  daughter  is 
not  supposed  to  use  a  coat-of-arms  except  in  lozenge  form. 

The  dinner  card  that  reflects  the  most  refined  and  modern 
type  of  usage  is  a  card  of  visiting  card  size,  with  a  coat-of-arms  in 
gold  and  gilt  border,  on  real  parchment.  These  cards  are  hand- 
lettered  and  used  as  place  cards  for  dinner  parties. 

Tile  use  of  sealing  wax  is  optional,  though  a  good 
rule  to  follow  is  not  to  use  it  unless  it  is  necessary. 
The  wax  may  be  any  dark  color  on  white,  cream,  or 
light  gray  paper.  Black  wax  is  used  with  mourning 
stationery.  The  best  place  to  stamp  a  seal  is  the 
centre  of  the  flap.  It  should  not  be  done  at  all  if  it 
cannot  be  accomplished  neatly.  The  crest  or  mono- 
gram should  be  quickly  and  firmly  impressed  into 
the  hot  wax. 

In  selecting  stationery  it  is  a  good  plan  to  adhere 
to  a  single  style,  provided  of  course  that  a  good  choice 
of  paper  and  stamping  has  been  made.  The  style 
will  become  as  characteristic  of  you  as  your  hand- 
writing. Distinction  can  be  had  in  quiet  refinement 
of  line  and  color. 

The  use  of  the  typewriter  for  social  correspondence 
has  some  authority — though  most  of  us  will  want  to 
keep  to  the  old  custom  of  pen  and  ink.     In  case  this 


CRESTS  AND  MONOGRAMS  269 

should  be  employed  for  some  good  reason,  the  letter 
must  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  page  with  all 
four  margins  left  wide.  Of  course  the  signature  to 
any  typewritten  letter  must  be  in  ink. 

Business  Stationery 

For  the  usual  type  of  business  letter,  a  single  large 
sheet  of  white  paper,  unruled,  of  the  standard  busi- 
ness size,  8|  X  11  inches,  is  generally  used.  The 
standard  envelopes  are  6|  x  3^  inches  and  10  x  4|, 
the  former  requiring  three  folds  of  the  letter  (one 
across  and  two  lengthwise)  and  the  latter  requiring 
two  folds  (across).  The  former  size,  6|  x  3|,  is  much 
preferred.  The  latter  is  useful  in  the  case  of  bulky 
enclosures. 

Bond  of  a  good  quality  is  probably  the  best  choice. 
Colored  papers,  while  attracting  attention  in  a  pile  of 
miscellaneous  correspondence,  are  not  in  the  best 
taste.  Rather  have  the  letter  striking  for  its  ex- 
cellent typing  and  arrangement. 

Department  stores  and  firms  that  write  a  great 
many  letters  to  women  often  employ  a  notepaper  size 
sheet  for  these  letters.  On  this  much  smaller  sheet 
the  elite  type  makes  a  better  appearance  with  letters 
of  this  kind. 

The  letterhead  may  be  printed,  engraved,  or  litho- 
graphed, and  it  is  safest  done  in  black.  It  should 
cover  considerably  less  than  a  quarter  of  the  page. 
It  contains  the  name  of  the  firm,  the  address,  and  the 
business.     The  addresses  of  branch  houses,  telephone 


Xord  &  Taylor 


ABERCR0!>\BJE  &  FiTCH  Co) 

3ISWVtMW 


Jahcs  M^CneeRv  &  Co. 

•  »«jiut  TMiBTT-rouimi  sractt 

NswYoMM 


mDOOM  minlE  Cor  4«'St 

Jitm  f  orfc. —r.^^ 


tBa«uwu<** 


Department  stores  and  firms  that  wTite  many  letters  to  women  often  employ 

a  notepaper  si2e 

270 


VlkklAM'MAMLIM   CMILOV 
•  T   BATTCRY    PLACC 


Rkksbut  Hoovsk 


CHAllLeS  M    SCHWAB 

111   BBOADWAV 

HEW  TOBH 


A  0  rANQUMMI 

VO*K.*'CMN* 


Specimens  of  stationery  used  by  men  for  personal  business  letters 


271 


272  THE  BOOK  OF  LETTERS 

numbers,  cable  addresses,  names  of  officials,  and 
other  data  may  be  included.  But  all  flamboyant, 
colored  advertisements,  trade  slogans,  or  advertising 
matter  extending  down  the  sides  of  the  letter  detract 
from  the  actual  content  of  the  letter,  which  it  is 
presumed  is  the  essential  part  of  the  letter. 

For  personal  business  letters,  that  is,  for  letters  not 
social  but  concerning  personal  ajffairs  not  directly 
connected  with  his  business,  a  man  often  uses  a  letter 
sheet  partaking  more  of  the  nature  of  social  station- 
ery than  of  business.  This  sheet  is  usually  rather 
smaller  than  the  standard  business  size  and  of 
heavier  quaHty.  The  size  and  shape  of  these  letter 
sheets  are  matters  of  personal  preference — 7  x  10 
inches  or  8  x  10  inches — sometimes  even  as  large  as 
the  standard  8|  x  11  or  as  small  as  5|  x  8|  or  6  x  8. 
The  smaller  size,  however,  requires  the  double  sheet, 
and  the  engraving  may  be  done  on  the  fourth  page 
instead  of  the  first.  The  inside  address  in  these  let- 
ters is  generally  placed  at  the  end  of  the  letters  in- 
stead of  above  the  salutation. 

Instead  of  a  business  letterhead  the  sheet  may 
have  an  engraved  name  and  home  or  business  ad- 
dress without  any  further  business  connotations,  or 
it  may  be  simply  an  address  line. 


THB  END 


/ 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARV  FACjLirv 


A     000  177  920     6      _ 


